Ordinary People
by dizi
Summary: Done! We see people everyday who know more about us than we think. Here's someone like that who sees the Xmen almost daily. Who could it be and do they see her? Someone does. Pretty much all the main XMen, but Bobby centric. Pretty please review
1. Ordinary Day

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

pre-note: Jenny may be in this one (haven't decided yet), and if so will be in a relationship or perhaps already married to Kurt and have Zelig. This story is not to be considered a sequel to "Human and the Demon". If the same characters are used it is just because I think of them as part of _my _X-Men worlds. It is possible that this will change and if so I will let you know, but right now, as I write it, they are not connected except that all these stories are by me.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 1: An Ordinary Day

She looked up from her book when the electronic bell sounded on the door. 'Here comes the morning crowd,' she thought and called, "Good morning!"

In response, the single customer grunted at her. She was used to that. He was a regular. Though _regular _might not be the right word since none of the people from 'up the hill' came in at regular times.

She closed her book and put it in her bag, getting ready for end of shift. If her relief ever showed up.

"Okay, that's three large coffees." She made a mental note to make more. "Anything else, sir?"

He again grunted at her and she took that for a 'no' since he tossed money on the counter before she could give him the total and was out the door before she had the register open.

"Have a nice day," she muttered, thinking he was NOT a morning person. He was never talkative but he didn't look all the way awake and she had never seen him in the morning before.

The bell chimed again. 'Finally,' she thought, seeing her boss come in to relieve her. 'Only half an hour late today.'

* * *

"So, what was up with your grumpy friend this morning? He was not in a good mood and I'm _really _happy the coffee was fresh." She was lazily sweeping off the mats by the front door.

"Oh," he chuckled, pushing back the lock of hair that had fallen across his eyes. "The coffee maker broke yesterday afternoon and nobody remembered to get another one. We all hid until he got back. He probably wasn't as grumpy here as he was at the school. You had coffee for him."

"Hmm... maybe that explains the tip." She mused, rolling up the rug, getting ready to sweep and mop the whole store.

"Tip?"

"Yeah, he bought three large coffees, almost a whole pot, which is around six dollars with tax, and he threw a twenty at me and left before I could give him the change. I thought it might be a mistake and have the money put aside for him."

"Really? I'd just keep it, his mistake." His surprise was evident, but she also knew his thrifty ways. He was always trying to save a buck.

"Uh-huh, and what if he realizes his mistake and blames me for it?" She held the dust mop, ready to do the floor, but standing still and looking at him incredulously.

"Ah, yeah, good point." He looked around trying to figure out if there was something he'd forgotten. "You done with the outside?"

She nodded.

"The cooler?"

She nodded again.

"The bathrooms?"

She sighed in exasperation as she finished the third of four ailes. "Yes, yes, yes, all I have left is the floor. I will not need to leave the main room, or the panic button, before my morning relief comes in."

"Hey," he said seriously. "I can't help it, I worry about you. Granted, I don't watch the news much, but I've heard stories about people getting killed. I just don't want you going out in the dark alley and the fridge where you're vulnerable."

"And I wouldn't do anything that stupid." She smiled at him, reaching up to touch his face. He was so sweet. "Before you started staying with me, I locked the door while I was stocking the cooler and I just piled the trash on the end of the porch until morning."

"I know, I know, but I'm glad you're changing to the afternoon shift." He grinned and stepped out of her way so she could finish sweeping. "For more than one reason. You'll get off at ten and we'll be able to go to a late movie."

She grinned back. "That would be different, wouldn't it? Someplace where we could sit down and relax, instead of leaning against the counter."

"Can't wait."

"Me neither."

"Maybe two evenings to get used to the new schedule?"

"You're willing to wait that long?"

"I want you to be able to stay awake."

She smiled. "Sounds like a good idea."

* * *

"You're out of Dr. Pepper," 'Red-Glasses' said accusingly the next afternoon shortly after she began her new shift.

"Yes, sir." she said calmly. She had an explanation but didn't think he really wanted one.

"You don't have any bottles either," he continued.

"No, sir. I'm very sorry, sir," she responded apologetically.

"I need Dr. Pepper," he said sounding a bit desperate.

"I'm very sorry, sir. Do you still want the lottery tickets?"

"I'm sure not going home without both. Having my wife upset with me is bad enough, having both her and the Professor mad at me at the same time would be just too much."

* * *

"Do these encompass the entire Twinkie supply currently available in your establishment?" the well-dressed well-mannered gentleman inquired.

"Yes, sir. We generally only keep two boxes on hand. They're delivered daily though, so we'll have more tomorrow." She advised helpfully. He didn't come in often at night but when he did he always bought out the Twinkies. This wasn't the first time he'd been given this information. Just the first time she'd given it to him in the light of day.

He frowned. "This is not a complete two boxes."

"Yes, sir. We must have sold a couple today." Quickly, she started ringing up the Twinkies, wincing when he looked pointedly at the fountain area.

"Your establishment is also devoid of Dr. Pepper."

"Yes, sir," she said apologetically. "I'm very sorry, sir."

* * *

"Ah thought we were goin' to the store for Dr. Pepper, why are we herah again?" The southern woman demanded irritably.

"As I explained, I need chocolate to settle my nerves." The tall black woman with the white hair said in exasperation.

"Ah'm pretty sure they have candy there, and only you would call that 'some'." She said it accusingly, crossing her arms. "It ain't nice of you to eat 'em in front of me. You neveah seem to gain weight while Ah have to work out an extra hour if Ah just look at that much candy."

Privately, she thought the woman had a point as the second woman dropped about twenty candybars on the counter. But a sale was a sale, and her job was to push merchandise and take money. Not that it was hard with this one. She was an impulse buyer.

Already opening a Snicker bar, the second woman said, "I did not wish to wait that long."

She put the candy in a bag with a smile and the two women started for the door, the first still grumbling. She called out before they left, "Have a good afternoon!"

The white haired African woman paused, her hand on the door. "You will have Dr. Pepper tomorrow, will you not?"

"I sincerely hope so, ma'am."

* * *

"Need two packs of Marlboro Reds."

"Would you like a lighter with that, sir?" she offered, knowing with him it was usually an easy sell.

He patted his pockets and swore. "Oui, always lose de lighters." He tilted down his sunglasses as he glanced back at the fountain area. "When-"

"We should have Dr. Pepper tomorrow, sir." she responded, hiding her exasperation.

* * *

"Why, hello," Betsy greeted her, leaning her hip against the counter. "How are you liking the new work schedule?"

"It's a lot busier than nights, but not as much cleaning." She thought the purple haired Asian woman was really cool, especially with that British accent. She was nice too.

"And you'll be able to see a certain someone in other environs." Betsy said suggestively, a twinkle in her eye.

"A late movie was mentioned for tomorrow night." She said coyly, blushing a bit, and changed the subject before the other woman got really personal, as she had a tendency to do. She really wasn't ready to talk that way about him when they hadn't even had a first date yet. "You going on a trip? To the city?"

"Yes, Warren has some meetings in the morning." Betsy wasn't fooled but allowed the subject change. "I'll do a bit of shopping, and we might be back tomorrow night. How's he doing with the petrol? Excuse me, gasoline. I still get it wrong, even though I've been in America for years now."

"Don't worry 'bout it, it's all the same thing." She looked at the monitor. "He's still going. Must have had an empty tank."

She nodded. "I hesitate to mention it, but I know about the Dr. Pepper problem. We _all _know about the Dr. Pepper problem. I'm so sorry it happened on your first day on the new schedule. What happened?"

"For some reason the vendor didn't show up and nobody bothered to find out why. I called when I came in and the manager on duty is looking into it, but morning is the soonest they'll be able to get us some. I'm really sorry, Betsy."

"Oh, I'm fine, Jean's the one driving everyone a bit insane." She said with a laugh.

"Don't I know it," she sighed. "I think everyone waited until I came in before coming to get any or they would have known sooner. I've had to apologize to eveyone from up the way."

Betsy laughed again. "We all try to keep her in Dr. Pepper. It makes life easier that way. She used to be a model, you know. I think the driving need for it is left over from when she wasn't allowed to have any."

"I didn't realize all that time everyone was buying it for someone else. Figured everyone up there just preferred Dr. Pepper." She glanced at the monitor as it beeped. "He's finished. Do you need anything else?"

"Not today." She ran the credit card and when Betsy finished signing with a flourish she said on the way out, "Get some rest, luv, you look tired. You want to be wide awake for tomorrow night."

She rolled her eyes. "Bye, Betsy!"

* * *

She looked up from the shelves she was straightening to see the guy who had ended her morning the day before, and called out, "Good evening, sir! If you want coffee, let me know. I just cleaned the pot and haven't made more yet."

He just shook he head and went to the cooler, going for the beer this time. So she would wait to make coffee. There wasn't much call for it at this time of the evening, anyway.

At the register he gestured behind the counter and she added a pack of his usual cigars to the total. "You left your change yesterday. I still have it, if you want to use it to pay for this," she offered.

"Keep it," he said with what sounded like might have been a growl, and she wasn't going to argue. He tossed a twenty and scowled at her for a moment while she got his change. "Ain't ya usually here later in the night?"

"Yes, sir. I'm changing shifts." She smiled bravely at him.

"Huh."

* * *

"Why are you still here?" He asked with a frown.

Her shoulders slumped. "The new night guy called in."

"So you're working all night after getting off at six this morning and coming back at two this afternoon?" he asked incredulously.

"It's worse than that," she said despondently.

"How worse?"

"He didn't call in sick, he called in to quit. Which means I'm working nights again until my boss hires someone else and Nicole gets back from vacation." She leaned over the counter and propped her head on one hand.

He did the same, mirroring her stance, his face inches from hers. "Which means we're not going out tomorrow night."

"Yeah."

"Maggie?" He waited for her to look up at him. "It doesn't change anything. We'll just have to wait a little longer."

She sighed. "You've been so patient, Bobby. I just feel bad about it."

He tugged on the blue streak in her hair. "You'll just have to come to the school and hang out sometime soon instead. There's nothing like playing video games on a big screen TV."

"Don't tempt me now, I have to sleep sometime." Maggie laughed. "But it sounds like a new plan."

"So, we'll keep it loose. I'll still come see you and hang out here until things settle down. Then we'll make more definite plans again."

"Sure you won't get tired of waiting? I'd understand, we've been trying to find time to go out for three weeks now."

"Where else will I find someone who likes video games as much as I do?" Bobby teased.

"They're out there." Maggie's eyes started dancing. "Besides, I don't think you'll like it so much when I start kicking your butt."

Straightening up, he said seriously, "I'll take that chance." Then he grinned. "And I might just end up kidnapping you so we can find out."

Maggie laughed.

to be continued

* * *

note:  
Okay, this chapter may be a little confusing. I believe if you think about it you'll see why I did it this way. I further believe if you think about it you'll also see the big significance of the way it was written. If not you will with the next chapter, I think. The rest of the story will pretty much read normally, but this one was kinda to make a point. If enough people (reviews everyone!) tell me they didn't get it after that I'll explain more thoroughly in another note. Also if this chapter put you off, please give it a chance with the next chapter which will, as I said before, be more normal. I think you'll really like Maggie if you give her a chance.

Like many others, I have taken a few liberties and made Jean a model in the past. At the time I got Jean and Betsy confused, just remembering one of them had been. Oops. But I like it this way, so left it. It's AU anyway as just about any story with an OC has to be (I know having an OC doesn't mean it _has_ to be AU but it usually does) and due to each author's perception of the characters making little changes (or big ones). I do try not to change the characters so much as enhance them so hope you will forgive the little mistakes of this nature.

I know I said I would post every Wednesday, but I'm going to every other Wednesday until I get a bit further along. Sorry, but I'm writing too many stories at once and don't want to post them all and confuse everyone (including myself). Especially since I don't know where I'm going with most of them. Of course finding out is most of the fun.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	2. Dinner but no Movie

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 2: Dinner But No Movie

"You're in a good mood," Jean commented to Bobby. They were by the pool and she wondered if she should be listening for someone to scream. He usually only got that look when a prank was about to come to fruition.

"I think things are going well with Maggie," he confessed. "I hope so, I really like her."

A few feet away Scott looked up. "Maggie? Who is Maggie?"

Bobby gave him a blank look. "Well... you know... Maggie."

From their places in the loungers next to him, Jean and Scott exchanged glances, then turned to look at him again.

"Oh, c'mon! You see her every day, Scott!"

"Bobby, there's no one here named Maggie," Jean said gently, as though she thought he'd lost his mind.

"Not _here_," he said in exasperation.

Followed by Remy, Warren, Ororo, and Rogue, Logan came outside and lit a cigar. During the summer most of the X-Men spent their free time poolside. Having just finished a late lunch a little while ago, everyone was now drifting back out.

"I know you guys know her," Bobby said to them.

"Know whom?" Ororo asked in confusion.

"Maggie."

"Who?" Logan raised a brow.

"Maggie!" Bobby said in frustration. "You've got to know Maggie!"

They all stared at him.

"Argh!"

Betsy came out with a towel wrapped low on her hips in her black bikini, obviously ready for a quick dip. "Whatever is the matter?"

Jean shot Bobby a strange look and replied, "Bobby was telling us about his... friend."

"Oh? Who?"

"Maggie!" he almost shouted.

"What about her?" Betsy wrinkled her brow trying to figure out what the problem was.

"You know who she is?" Warren asked in surprise.

"Of course I do. She's that nice girl I talk to at the QuickStop. I've told you about her." She turned back to Bobby. "What about her?"

"She... nothing." Bobby sighed despondently. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

"Is something wrong? I thought you liked her?" Betsy grinned wickedly. "I know she likes you."

"Really?" He piped up. "We keep making plans to go to a movie or something but there always seems to be a problem. We went on that mission to L.A. and then there was that F.O.H. scare in NY. Then they started playing with her days off, and now she's been working all those double-shift because they're short-handed at her store."

"Oh, I know. The poor dear always looks so tired recently." Betsy sympathized. "One girl is still on vacation, and she was so very disappointed when Ronald quit and you couldn't go to the movies."

"And I don't think she's eating right, she's always hungry!" He exclaimed. "I've been bringing her McDonalds and other fast food but she needs something more nutritious." Abruptly he realized everyone was staring at him again. "What?"

"You always act like you wouldn't mind surviving on fast food." Warren pointed out. "And you're complaining about your friend not eating right?"

"I don't eat that much fast food, and I eat other things too, not just junk." Bobby defended himself. "Besides, burgers are nutritious with all those vegetables. They're practically the perfect food. But a person can't live on just burgers."

"Ooo-kaaaay..." Jean said, letting her doubt both about his words and his sentiment be known. "So Maggie works at the convenient store down the road?"

"Yeah, I couldn't think of the name of it." he admitted. Looking at each of them, he shook his head. "You guys really don't remember her, do you? She said most people didn't pay attention to her, but I didn't believe it."

"Sorry, mon ami." Remy shrugged, unconcerned.

"Guess we don't pay attention, shugah." Rogue admitted.

"What's funny is how much she knows about all of you. Remember you were saying how you have a drawer full of lighters, Remy? It's because she knows you always forget one and suggests it. Logan, she sees you coming and makes sure the coffee is fresh. She knows you buy lottery tickets for the Professor, Scott, and points out the newest ones. She even knows your favorite candybar is Snickers, 'Ro, and makes sure they keep an extra box in the back. Same for Hank with Twinkies."

Betsy laughed. "The only thing she didn't know was that the Dr. Pepper was for Jean. She felt very badly when they ran out, poor dear. The vendor had a boy, by the way. His wife went into labor and that was why he didn't make the delivery."

"Good for him," Scott muttered, still upset about the incident.

"Yeah, and she agrees with you about the candy, Rogue. When she sees Ororo buying that much at once she doesn't like to even go to the candy aisle for awhile." Bobby grinned at Ororo, who wrinkled her nose.

"She's also quite envious of your hair." Betsy commented to Rogue. "Her roots are beginning to show and she hasn't had a chance to redo her blue streaks."

"She wouldn't like it if she had it." Rogue muttered. "Dang thang doesn't even take dye."

"You know, it's a little unnerving to think she knows so much about us." Jean said consideringly, and Logan nodded agreement while the rest simply weren't sure how to respond, most feeling the same way.

"Jeeeeaaan..." Bobby rolled his eyes.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way, Bobby. It's just strange a virtual stanger knows so much about us is all." She glanced at Scott. "Being as we've been talking about the QuickStop... Honey? Would you mind...?"

Scott groaned. "Jean, we still have all those cans from Tuesday!"

"But I like the fountain drink better. Pleeeeaase?" She cajoled, batting her eyes at him.

He got up from the lounger with a sigh. "Alright, sweetheart."

"Hey, I'll come with you." Bobby hurriedly got up as well. " Maggie will be coming in soon."

Jean watched them go, a thoughtful look on her face. After they disappeared inside the mansion, she said to Ororo, "You know, we could make a little extra at dinner."

"And Bobby could take it to his friend." Ororo replied.

"Exactly."

Both women smiled, happy with their matchmaking plans.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"Hi, Dad. I'm on my way to work so can't talk long."

"_Just calling to check on you, Bright-eyes. When's your day off so I can tell your brothers when to call_?"

"You mean tell Mom."

"_There's a possibility she could overhear. It's a small house_."

"It's a huge house and Mom only finds out what you want her to. I don't want another lecture about how I should come home and go to law school. I thought you were on my side, Daddy."

"_I am, but she worries about you and I have to hear it. But Josh really does want to talk to you, so when are you off_?"

"Who knows? I'm still working doubles and haven't been told when that'll stop."

"_Well, call them when you have a chance_." There was a short pause. "_And how did your date with whatshisname go_?"

"I told you the other day we didn't get to go out, Dad. I'm almost there and have to go. I promise I'll call Mom. Soon. And Josh too, okay?"

"_Alright, and don't forget about me. We miss you, Maggie_."

"I miss you too, Daddy. Bye."

... End Interlude ...

* * *

Driving the short way to the convenient store didn't take long and Scott was surprised to realize he did recognize the pretty blond girl with blue streaks on either side of her face who was waving at them.

Bobby jumped out and ran to her as soon as the car pulled into a parking slot, not even waiting for Scott to put it in park.

"Hey, Maggie! I got you something." He pulled out a Hershey bar.

"Candy!" Maggie snatched it from him, opening it as fast as she could. "Mmmmm, I love chocolate. It's man's greatest invention."

Bobby watched her gobble it down in fascination. "It always surprises me how excited you get about candy when you work in a place with a whole aisle full."

"Yeah, but I can't _eat _it. It's not mine and my boss won't let me have any and then pay for it at the end of the shift anymore." With the chocolate bar gone she started licking her fingers. "After work I'm so tired I don't want any."

"Guess that's what you've got me for then." Bobby wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

Maggie giggled and flicked his nose with a finger. "My hero." She glanced at her watch and sighed. "I have to go in, time to work."

"Don't work too hard." He paused, his expression turning serious. "And Maggie, I really mean that. Don't wear yourself out, okay?"

"Just hard enough, I promise. Don't worry." She went in while putting on her smock, just as Scott came out with a large fountain drink.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," Bobby said distractedly. "For now."

* * *

The good thing about working double-shifts, Maggie decided, was she got everything done early. Unfortunately, having it all done left her nothing to do for the majority of the night when she was dead tired, bored, and hungry.

She yawned, looking at the clock. Only six more hours to go. If good ole Dave, her boss, was on time for once.

The bell on the door chimed and she looked up to see Bobby coming in. Her eyes lit up. No matter how bad a night it might be if he came in it was a good night. Not that tonight was bad, but now it was a whole lot better.

"Hey, beautiful," he greeted her, placing a plastic grocery bag on the counter.

"Hey. You know, you're supposed to leave with bags not bring them in." Maggie teased.

"Well, I guess if you feel that way about it you're not interested in dinner."

"Food?" Wasn't she just thinking how hungry she was? If she wasn't she should have been because she always seemed to be hungry. "You brought me food? You're not just handsome, you're a lifesaver! I'm starving!"

"It's not much," he demured, mentally thanking Jean. "Just leftovers from dinner."

"Doesn't matter, it's food!" She dug out the foil covered plate and the silverware, inhaling deeply and taking a bite as fast as she could. "This is really good."

"Yeah, Ororo cooked tonight." He watched as she started devouring the roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans as though she really had been starving. Bobby wondered if he really should be concerned.

"She's the tall African woman with the blue eyes and white hair, right?" Maggie managed to get the words out while still eating.

"Yep, we trade off cooking and other chores at the school. I usually just wash dishes or something. They don't trust my cooking for some reason."

She had to swallow before she could ask, "Why? You can't cook?"

"I'm not sure they ever really ate enough of it to find out. I like to cook with color schemes. Take my advise and don't add green food coloring unless it's St. Patrick's Day. It's really not a good idea." He grimaced at the memory of everyone refusing to eat his food.

"Sounds interesting, but I can see where some people might have a problem with it." She paused consideringly with the fork halfway to her mouth. "And, of course, now you don't have to cook."

Bobby grinned and sighed dramatically. "It's a strain, but I can live with it. So, what do you have left to do?"

"Oh, not much. The cooler again, I'll make fresh coffee in a couple hours, maybe just spot mop the floor since I did it earlier, but I brought a book because there just really isn't much to do on a double-shift."

"I can do the cooler for you. The cold doesn't bother me."

"I kinda noticed that."

"Um, you did?" He was comfortable in her presence, but hadn't thought he'd been careless. He wasn't sure they knew each other well enough to tell her he was a mutant.

"Bobby, you take your jacket off to go inside the cooler and come out happy as a lark." She smiled, giving a short laugh as she put the plate back in the bag.

"I, uh, hadn't realized." He let out a breath heavily. "I guess there's something I should tell you."

"No, there's not." Maggie said firmly.

"There's not?" Bobby's confusion was evident. He hoped it wasn't that she just didn't want to know.

She shook her head. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. But I should mention that one of the first things I was told when I moved here was that the school you work at is 'mutant friendly'."

"It was, huh?" he said dryly.

"Uh-huh, and if I had a problem with that I would have said something a long time ago." Maggie met his eyes. "I don't judge people that way."

A slow smile spread across his face. He wasn't going to take it further but both understood what she was saying.

"So you brought a book, huh? More history?" Bobby glanced behind the counter significantly.

"I like history," she said defensively.

"Nothing wrong with that." He shrugged casually and eyed the empty counter space right by an electrical outlet. "But, you know, I still have that portable TV..."

"Don't you start." Maggie said with mock severity. "I get a game system in here and I'll never get _anything _done. That includes ringing-up customers."

"You don't have any customers," he pointed out.

"I will sooner or later, and eventually my boss would come in. I can almost guarantee he wouldn't like the addition to the store." Maggie added inaudibly under her breath, "Not that he likes anything."

Bobby grinned. "I could live with that."

Maggie stuck her tongue out and pointed a finger at him. "Live, yes. Make a living, no."

Grabbing her hand, Bobby placed a soft kiss on the tip of her finger. "I suppose I'll have to keep working on my kidnapping plans."

She giggled as she always did when he said something about that. He'd been saying it since he first asked her out. "Just make sure you have food - I'm not color sensitive - and that you don't get me fired."

"I'll keep it in mind when I finalize my dastardly plans." And he strolled to the backroom to stock the cooler.

to be continued

* * *

note:  
Well, we're learning a little more and things are progressing nicely, hmmm? 

The significance of the first chapter is who sees beyond the counter to the person and who doesn't. Who is interested enough to form more of a relationship of one kind or another with someone they see almost every day, and who doesn't even realize anyone is there until they need something. This is very normal for places like grocery stores and convenience stores. Granted this is Maggie and she would never be evil or anything, but what if the same thing happened with say a henchman of Sinister? They could get whatever they wanted and the X-Men could easily die a horrible death just by poisoning the soda fountain! Scary thought.

Just to let you know, I am currently on chapter 7 of this one, chapter 4 of the ROMY, chapter 4 of the 'Waiting' sequel, chapter 5+ (some is in my notebook) of 'The Gift', chapter 5 of "A Friend in Need", and chapter 3 of a new one. I have _not_ been skimping on my writing, just skipping around.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	3. Hazards of the Job

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 3: Hazards of the Job

"Alright, Margaret, you can clock out and go." Dave Brubaker told her in a surly tone.

Maggie didn't even roll her eyes at his use of her full name which she hated and he and everyone who knew her at all was aware of it. Instead she ran to do as he said. Being as he was two hours late, she was more than ready to leave. She hadn't been working sixteen hours as doubleshifts implied. With him being late almost every day she had been working anywhere from sixteen to twenty.

Nicole was supposed to be back from vacation in three days but because she was a very nice person - and felt sorry for Maggie - she had agreed to come back to work early. This _should _have meant at the very least Maggie would only have to work one shift today. But Dave had decided to give himself an easy day instead so the few hours Nicole had agreed to work was mainly going to be used to let him be gone most of the day. She did get to come in at five instead of two. That helped a little bit.

With this in mind and as Maggie felt she'd gone way above and beyond the call of duty - it was a convenience store for crying out loud! - she found his attitude much to be desired. If she hadn't been on her best behavior trying to get a scholarship from the company she would have reported him to the main office, but she didn't want to make waves right now. The whole reason she'd transferred here and moved away from her family was for that scholarship and she didn't want to do anything which might look bad on her in any way. Well, one of the main reasons.

She really didn't understand it. He had acted ecstatic to have her here the first couple weeks. She had been with QuickStop for five years now, right after High School, and had a glowing record as a good worker and for dependability. There were other stores in the area and the original plan from the regional manager had been for her to fill in at several until she found one she liked. Dave had been so nice and the store had seemed to need her, so when he asked her to stay she had agreed whole heartedly.

But she had come to regret her decision. It wasn't so much the long hours, she could use the money when she started college. It wasn't the lack of days off for the same reason, though it was becoming more and more of a problem. It was more that he didn't seem the least bit sympathetic to her growing exhaustion and was treating her like a newbie. He went over her transactions as though looking for a mistake. He double checked everything she did from the cleaning list _she _had made up to make sure she had actually done it - not done the job _correctly _but AT ALL. Then he made snide remarks about her work and possible lack of work ethics. She took strong offense at this but held her tongue.

He also acted put out when she had hinted that _he _might work an extra shift here and there so she could rest, and Dave didn't seem to be doing anything to solve the workload problem. Even with Nicole back they were still too short handed for her to have a day off. Of course, he had made arrangements so he had gotten his usual days off but expected her to 'suck it up'.

This was not how she expected a veteran manager to act. What made it so much worse was that she had come from a very well managed store and thought she was going to another. Maggie just couldn't believe how wrong she'd been. And there was nothing she could do about it at this point, which he was fully aware of.

Or nothing she was willing to do so far. The way she was feeling, _that_ could change. All she needed was the right email addresses. She was searching for them and she would decide whether or not to use them once she had them, _if _she could get hold of them in the first place. Maggie really hoped things would change and she wouldn't have to, but that hope was dwindling fast.

These thoughts were nothing new. They had been going through Maggie's mind for the last three weeks much too often for her taste. She didn't like thinking this way. She didn't like the idea that she would have to go over her boss's head. She didn't want to do that, but had come to the realization she might have to.

It didn't take long for all this to flash through her mind and she wasn't really dwelling on it, but was reminded by Dave's continued bad attitude.

Maggie was almost out the door when he stopped her in her tracks by saying, "Store meeting at two."

She didn't reply and thankfully Dave missed the dirty look she threw his way. When did he think she was going to get any sleep? With him being late and now this meeting, she would only get a few hours by the time she got to bed! She hadn't been to the grocery store in what seemed like forever and if it wasn't for Bobby bringing her dinner she really would be starving!

Consoling herself with the knowledge she should get a good block of uninterrupted sleep tomorrow, Maggie wearily put the key in the ignition of the old Ford Thunderbird her father had given her just before she left home.

She almost cried when it didn't start, but she kept her head, said a quick prayer, and tried again.

This time it hesitated but reluctantly began to rumble.

"Thank you," Maggie whispered to both the car and whatever benevolent being might have assisted her in going home. She vowed to have it looked at when things calmed down, but major car problems were something she just couldn't deal with right now.

* * *

At three minutes before two o'clock, Maggie rushed into the QuickStop out of breath. She had again had a little trouble with her car and been afraid it had put her behind. She didn't even want to think about what Dave would have said if she'd been late. Luckily it had started after four tries but she was getting worried about it.

"What's your hurry?" Nicole asked from behind the counter.

"Meeting... two... o'clock..." Maggie panted.

"It's at two-fifteen. No reason to rush."

Maggie stared at her a minute while she got her breathing under control. "He said two this morning."

"Sorry, Maggie, but he told me two-fifteen when I got back in town three days ago." She frowned. "Just a warning, he seemed a little ticked about something earlier."

"Something to do with me?" Maggie demanded. "I haven't given one complaint and I've worked double-shifts for almost a week with not one day off in more than ten days! What _possible _problem could he have with me!"

"Um, you're complaining now." Nicole responded hesitantly.

"Just to you, and not really. I'm just saying it." She let out a sigh. "Sorry, I'm just so tired. I really need a nice long block of sleep."

Looking deliberately out the window, Nicole warned, "He's back and he has company."

"You think he hired someone?" Maggie asked hopefully. Maybe she'd been wrong and Dave was doing more than she'd thought.

"If he did we're in trouble. That's the regional manager's son."

"So?"

"Anything not right around here with one of us and he'll tell his father about it for sure. But he probably won't be here long."

"Not long?" Maggie echoed, her heart sinking. "Why not?"

"School starts up in a month. By the look of him, he'll be going to college."

"I plan to. Again, so?"

"So he'll only be here long enough to be listed as an employee for the scholarships. The manager and regional manager's kids always do that. They always get them and then don't actually work anymore leaving the stores short-handed."

Aghast, Maggie protested, "That's not how it is back home."

"It's what happens here." Nicole shrugged. "Did anyone in your old area ever get a scholarship?"

"Well... no..." She admitted.

"Guess why."

"No way. Employee's submit themselves and then are evaluated on their record to keep it fair. I may have just transferred here but I've been with the company five years. My old manager, Martha, and the regional manager, Kevin, said I'd be a shoe-in. They told me the reason no one else got it was because none of the other employees who applied were good enough and the one's that were didn't apply because they weren't interested."

"Okay, so they go by work record. Who has control of the files? They have it down. I don't know who all is involved, but all they need to know is who wants a scholarship so they can sabotage the ones they _don't _want to have it. Then their kids have the only real chance." Nicole shook her head, sorry she was the one to tell Maggie.

"But with the buy-out a couple months ago it'll be different. It's a fair company and they're weeding out the problems." Maggie tried to stay calm. This wasn't going to interfere with her plans. She had to believe that.

"They've just started the process and with the high employee turn around there's only a few people like me who've seen it before to know what they do. But hey, don't look so down." She continued seeing Maggie's crestfallen expression. "The tuition reimbursement program is still in place."

"That's not until after I pay for everything. I can't afford to do that without going to my mother for the money. And if I go to her, I'll have to move back home. That's just _one _of the strings she'd attach." She closed her eyes trying to think. "Maybe that's not what's happening. And there's more than one scholarship, maybe I have nothing to worry about."

"I hope so." Nicole said sympathetically, but not really meaning it. She didn't think there was a real chance for anyone but management's children.

They both stopped talking as Dave - Mr. Brubaker, Maggie reminded herself - finally made his way inside with the young man.

"Let's try to make this quick before customers come in." He immediately began. "This is Larry Ficklin. He's just finished training and is going to be working here for a while. He has kindly volunteered to start this evening and will work tomorrow night so you'll have the day off, Margaret."

"Really? You mean it?" Maggie couldn't believe her ears and her depression of moments ago fell away. "Larry, you rock!"

"Let's try to maintain some decorum, Margaret." Mr. Brubaker said severely.

"Yes, sir!" But she couldn't keep the joy from her voice. Only one shift today! And a whole day off! She'd be able to sleep, get groceries, sleep, wash clothes, sleep... and maybe, just maybe, she'd be able to do something with Bobby!

"I also have to inform you of a change in policy. There is no longer to be outside food behind the register. No exceptions as it's bad for business." He didn't look at her, but Maggie felt like he was talking to her specifically.

"You mean from another businesses? Like McDonald's?" she clarified.

"I mean _at all_. We want people to buy what we have to offer. It looks bad and encourages customers not to buy from us if you're eating food from anywhere else in front of them." He explained.

This just didn't sound right. They were on eight hour shifts and one of the last policy changes was that they couldn't get something from the store and pay for it at the end of their shift. He said behind the register but there was nowhere else for them to eat if they were working alone, which they all generally did. Food from another establishment she could understand, but none _at all_?

So what were they supposed to eat? Or were they supposed to starve? What if someone had to work doubles? What if SHE had to work doubles again? They were supposed to go at least sixteen hours without eating? She couldn't do it! She had to say something.

"There has been some major changes in policy recently. I would like to see a copy of the revisions to be fully informed of them all." There, that didn't sound so bad, a little professional even.

"I'm sure they will be made available in due time. Things are still in upheaval from the buy-out two months ago and all the changes haven't been made yet." Brubaker added stiffly, "You're still out of dress-code with your hair."

"I was just told about the change after I colored it, Mr. Brubaker. I'd like to remind you I haven't seen anything about artificial hair color in writing yet either." She would have to ask her mother, but Maggie was pretty sure it wouldn't be legal if it was in writing. Which was why she had touched up her blue streaks the second week she'd been here _after _she was told about the change.

"All policy changes are sent through channels and given to you by the store manager, namely me, until a new book is made available. This is nothing new and you should know that since you say you've been with QuickStop for so long." He was obviously not happy with her questioning him.

She didn't care. Under other circumstances Maggie would have just called Martha or Kevin and verified everything he said. Just as she should have for the email addresses she wanted. The problem with that was they both knew her mother and she was sure they would talk to her about it. Then Mom would get upset, talk about how she knew Maggie moving away was a bad idea, and threaten to sue everyone. Maggie really didn't want her mother getting involved.

"Yes, sir, of course I know that. I would just like to see a copy of the new policies," she defended herself. Though she had tried not to let it bother her, Maggie couldn't help feeling she was being attacked with all these 'policy changes'. They had started about the same time Dave's attitude towards her had changed.

First it was the hair, then came one saying no nicknames and she was required to change her nametag. Maggie _really _hated that one. NOBODY called her Margaret but him, and she had noticed his hadn't changed. She doubted his real name was 'Dave'. Maggie also didn't think this new guy was born with the name Larry but she bet that's what his nametag read.

"That's all I have for today. You're off until ten, Margaret. Don't be late."

Like she ever was, Maggie thought, but hurried outside without replying. She would have to stop somewhere to eat before she came in and she might be able to get some more sleep. If she could get to sleep now.

Her car started right away.

It died twelve blocks from her apartment. She had to walk the rest of the way home. Getting to sleep wasn't a problem but waking was that much harder.

* * *

Bobby came in at midnight. "Thank goodness, Maggie! I got worried when I didn't see your car outside."

She groaned. "It wouldn't start, the traitor. I had to take a taxi to work and was almost late." Which really would have been bad after that last comment of Dave's. "Nicole is back and we have a new employee so I'm off tomorrow, but I'll probably have to spend the whole day getting my car fixed."

"Well, there's no need for you to get a taxi in the morning." He said firmly. "I'll give you a ride home and take you wherever you need to go. It's summer and we're not doing much around the school anyway." This wasn't exactly true but they weren't doing anything for _classes _right now. He might also be able to get someone from the mansion to fix her car too. It wasn't how he would have liked it, but he'd get to spend some time with her away from this damn store at least.

"Times like this I really miss home." Maggie gave a token smile. "If my dad couldn't fix the car then my brother could. He's a genius."

"Don't worry about a thing." Bobby held up his usual plastic grocery bag. "You'll love this. Jean made lasagna tonight."

"Ooohhh..." She sniffed, inhaling the wonderful scent deeply. "It smells soooo good. But I can't. New policy, no outside food. I'm sorry, I should have called you."

"What!" he exclaimed incredulously. But Bobby could tell she was torn up about it and didn't want to make it worse for her. "Fine, I'll put it aside and it can be breakfast. But I'm feeding you up GOOD tomorrow."

"Deal." Maggie's face cleared and without the food they went on like usual.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"Hello?"

"_Maggie, you're my sister and you have to help me_."

"Carter? It's four a.m.! What are you doing up? Or have you gone to bed yet?"

"_Don't worry about it. I had to talk to you, Maggie! I need your help_."

"You said that already but I'm three hours away, what am I supposed to do?"

"_I need you to talk to Mom_."

"I don't think so."

"_For me, Maggie! I don't know what else to do!_"

"Okay, what's wrong?"

"_She's made friends with my new girlfriend. They're hanging out together. It's unnatural! Please, Maggie, talk to her!_"

"Your girlfriend is hanging out with Mom?"

"_Yes_."

"Dump her."

"_What!"_

"Dump. Her."

"_I just want Mom to stop_."

"Uh-huh. If you have a girlfriend who's hanging out with your mother then she is not the girl for you. Dump her."

"_Are you sure_?"

"Definitely."

"_Okay, she's history_."

"Good boy. And Carter? Don't tell me to call Mom again. You lose brother points when you do."

"_Whatever. Bye, Maggie_."

"Bye."

... End Interlude ...

* * *

With Nicole working the morning shift so Dave could have his day off - _again _- Maggie got off on time.

Pulling off her smock with the QuickStop emblem on the left shoulder, she walked to the side of the building. There was no one there. But she wasn't worried. Bobby said he would come, so he would.

Yawning, she leaned against the brick wall. She was sooooo sleepy.

Five minutes passed. She nudged her backpack over and sat down on the concrete, wrapping her arms around her knees.

Her eyes drifted closed, then popped open again. Bobby was coming and she could sleep in her own bed all day, she reminded herself.

But he wasn't there yet. She wouldn't sleep but the sun was coming up and she could just close her eyes while they adjusted to the light. Yeah, just for a minute.

She leaned against her bookbag, her knees still drawn up tight and her eyes closed. Just for a minute.

* * *

Pulling into the far side of the parking lot much too fast, Bobby jumped out from behind the wheel with an apology on his lips. "Maggie, I am so sorry. We had an unexpected meeting and I couldn't get away any sooner..."

Seeing she hadn't moved, he got a little closer and realized she was asleep. "Maggie, hun?" He gently touched her head but she only shrugged. "C'mon, let's get you home so you can really sleep."

"Okay," she whispered but didn't open her eyes or attempt to get up.

Shaking his head, Bobby picked her up and placed her in his car. He watched her shift slightly in the seat until her head rested against the door. He had never seen anyone sleep so hard.

He knew he should take her to her apartment, but he couldn't remember exactly where it was and didn't want to wake her up. Not that he even thought to try. Instead he simply turned the car in the opposite direction towards the mansion when he pulled back out.

He'd been joking about kidnapping her for awhile now. Bobby just couldn't resist actually doing it.

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
I couldn't resist either! I am having fun with this story. There are a few issues that have gone on in the past that I am going to be dealing with. Nothing major but a couple things that aren't talked about or are overlooked in the book, or that's how I feel. And Jenny will be making an appearance in this story. Not a very big one but an appearance all the same. 

I'm really glad you guys like Maggie. She's not as shy and vulnerable as Jenny but she does have her weak spots and you should have a good idea what they are by now.

Next chapter: Guess what Bobby has in store for her. Hey! Get your mind out of the gutter!

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	4. Day Off

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 4: Day Off

"Um, Bobby, who is it that's asleep in your room?" Jean asked, not really sure she wanted to know, but he had never been one they had to watch for things like that.

He grinned at her happier than he'd been for awhile. Since the last failed date attempt to be exact. "I kidnapped Maggie."

Her eyes widened. "And incarcerated her in your bed?"

"She was tired." Bobby gave her an innocent look and she wasn't sure what to think of that one.

"Uh-huh. Does this count as your first date then?" And did she really want to know at this point? Jean asked herself. But she did because she liked seeing the fun and mischievous side of him without anyone screaming, and had thought he needed a girlfriend for a long time now.

"Hopefully, that'll come later."

"Uh-huh." she repeated. "Well, I think she's starting to wake up."

"Hmm, not sure if that's a good thing, she's so tired. Do you know if Scott's in his office?"

"Yes, he is." She answered, not sure what one had to do with the other.

"Thanks. See ya!" Bobby rushed past with her shaking her head at him. She hoped she remembered this next time she thought he was lonely and needed a girlfriend.

* * *

Bobby knocked sharply on the office door, entering when Scott called out a greeting. "Hi. Can I get you to do me a favor? Well, it's for Maggie actually."

"What kind of favor?" Scott put down his pen and pushed away his stack of paperwork, grateful for the interruption.

"Her car broke down yesterday, would you look at it for her? Unless you want to go back to your papers there." He hinted, knowing his leader's response. They joked that when he got fed up with paperwork, Scott came up with missions to get out of it.

"You know me, happy to help." Scott pushed the stack further away.

"Thought you might feel that way." Bobby turned back to the door. "Soon as she's awake, I'll get the keys."

"Let me know when." He reluctantly pulled the stack back to it's original position. "And Bobby? See if you can make it soon."

"Gotcha." Bobby shut the door behind him, then he ran up the stairs to his room. Breathing hard, he paused to catch his breath before knocking softly on his own door. There was no answer, but he hadn't really expected one considering how tired she was, but then again Jean had said she was waking up. Just to be sure, he turned the doorknob slowly trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Dere a boogeyman in your room?" came a voice from behind him.

Surprised, Bobby jerked, kicked the door, and fumbled to close it, all the while loudly going, "Sssshhhhh!"

Full of amusement, Remy watched with a half smile. "Tryin' to hide somet'ing, mon ami? Or would dat be somebody?"

His heart still pounding, Bobby leaned against the wall. "I'm not hiding anything. Maggie's sleeping."

"Movin' fast. Remy t'ink you learn some t'ings from him, non?" Smile widening, he raised a knowing brow.

"Non - I mean, no... I mean..." He blew out his breath, getting his thoughts in order. "Maggie got off work so tired she was practically - well, literally - asleep on her feet, so I put her to bed."

"Ah," Remy shook his head mournfully, as if disappointed in him. "She wake-up, you take her some place nice, n'est ce pas? You show her she special, treat her nice, den you in de bed wit' her 'stead sneakin' in."

"I wasn't sneaking." Bobby protested. "I was just checking on her."

"Um-hmm, you t'ink 'bout what Remy said." He walked down the hall to the stairs, still shaking his head.

This time Bobby looked around cautiously before he again opened the door. He peeked inside, then went to kneel beside the bed when he saw Maggie's eyes were open.

"Hi," he whispered, not sure why. "Are you ready to get up?"

Maggie didn't answer. She was lying completely still, covers up to her chin barely leaving her face visible, her fine straight hair was spread out over the pillow, and her eyes were open but also still. She didn't even blink when he spoke, causing Bobby to wonder if she was actually awake. He vaguely recalled hearing once that some people slept with their eyes open.

"Are you hungry?" he persisted hesitantly, still whispering. "I still have the lasagna put aside for you."

That got her attention. Her hands shaking, she pushed the blanket aside to sit on the side of the bed, though she continued not to speak and was shaking uncontrollably.

"Are you alright?" He knew she was sleepy but this seemed a bit of an extreme reaction. "If you want to sleep some more, it's fine."

"C-cold," Maggie mumbled, rubbing her hands on her arms.

In horror, Bobby realized he hadn't turned off the air-conditioning. Comfortable in much lower temperatures than others, he had an industrial sized unit for his room alone which he used almost year around and hadn't thought once to turn it off. Very few people even visited his room, much less stayed inside for long. He'd never considered the temperature might be the reason.

Quickly, he went to his dresser, pulling out a sweatshirt. "I'm so sorry, Maggie. Let's get this on you, it'll help and it's much warmer in the rest of the school."

He put it over her head and helped her put her shaking hands through the arms, then brushed the front parts of her hair with the blue streaks over her ears as she normally kept it.

"Come on, Mags." Taking Maggie's hand Bobby led her from the room. "We'll drop off your keys with Scott so he can work on your car and then get some food in you."

"My car?" Her mind was still foggy from sleep. "I thought I was going to have it towed to a garage. Isn't Scott the guy with the glasses?"

"Yeah, he's great with cars. He'll fix it for you."

"Are you sure he's cool with that?" Her feet almost stopped moving as a huge yawn overtook her.

"Trust me," Bobby said with a short laugh, unsure if it was from how adorable she looked or how much Scott was looking forward to getting out of paperwork. "He's happy to do it."

* * *

Later Maggie would thank Scott profusely for his help, but when they reached his office she just mutely dug her keys out of her pocket at Bobby's prompting and gave the approximate address of where it had stopped on her. It was Bobby who supplied the description of the car.

When they reached the kitchen, Remy was already there, having just put a pot of red beans on the stove as he was cooking dinner that night as they would need to simmer. He watched Bobby lead Maggie to the breakfast nook where she curled up on the bench, layed her folded arms on the table, and put her head on top of them. She appeared to be instantly asleep so he kept quiet, simply watching curiously.

Opening the refrigerator, Bobby took out the foil container of leftovers and put it in the oven to heat up. Seeing an open loaf of bread on the counter, he looked at it consideringly before calling out, "How about some garlic bread to go with it?"

To Remy's surprise, her head popped up immediately and she said pitifully, "Food?"

"Don't worry, baby," Bobby said gently. "I'll just let you know when it's done." At the look on Remy's face, he explained, "She's hungry."

"Oui," was the reply. "Remy see dat."

After he put the bread in the oven, Remy told him in a low voice so as not to disturb Maggie again that there was some salad in the fridge from the women's lunch which would go well with her meal. Grateful for the suggestion, Bobby got a bowl out of the cabinet and just finished filling it when Jean and Ororo came in on their way out to the pool.

Both women were surprised to see Bobby with a salad, which was definitely not part of his usual diet. At their questioning looks, he gestured to Maggie's still form. "It's for her."

"When I said I thought she was waking up, I didn't mean for you to drag her down here." Jean reproved.

"I didn't," he responded indignantly. "She was hungry and got up on her own."

"She does not appear to be hungry." Ororo said doubtfully.

"Mention food and she'll be awake." A wicked look came into his eyes and Jean almost cringed. It was the look he got when an idea for a prank came to him.

Ororo didn't see it, still studying Maggie. "As you say."

"She wake up quick at de talk of food." Remy grinned, then frowned a bit. "We be little loud, non? We be quiet for de femme?"

"Nah, we don't have to worry about it. I forgot earlier, but Maggie has four brothers and says she can sleep through anything." He pulled the hotpads from the oven door and took out the food. "This'll wake her up though."

Taking off the cover, the wonderful aroma of Italian and garlic wafted strongly throughout the kitchen. Maggie twitched, moving restlessly.

"This is gonna be funny." Bobby couldn't help saying outloud as he slid the food onto a plate and grabbed some silverware.

"Um, Bobby, whatever you're planning, maybe you should think twice." Jean cautioned. "You haven't even had a real date yet and don't want to scare her off."

"Don't worry so much, it'll be fine. You'll see." He winked at her and raised his voice. "Maggie! Lasagna! Hurry, before Ryan gets it!"

Instantly, Maggie was awake, a wild look on her face and anguish in her voice. "No! Don't let him have it!"

Jean, Ororo, and Remy all winced, waiting for the expected reaction to one of Bobby's pranks, but as he chuckled and placed the plate in front of her, all Maggie did was smile, take the fork, and prepare to dig in.

"Very sneaky, using a girl's family against her," Maggie said in approval after her second bite.

"Not to be nosey," Jean said once she'd gotten over her astonishment. "But who's Ryan?"

"My twelve-year-old brother," Maggie rolled her eyes. "He eats everything."

"Oh, I see." Though she wasn't sure she did. "We'll see you later."

The three left to give Bobby and Maggie some privacy with him waving at them on their way out.

She took a bite of the bread, licking the garlic butter from her fingers as she set it back down. "So who's the red-head?"

"That's Jean." Bobby's eyes were locked on her hands.

"Oh, Dr. Pepper Lady, gotcha. I recognized The Chocoholic and Lighter Man." Maggie took a big bite of salad. Not her favorite part of the meal but she wouldn't give it up either.

"Ororo and Remy," he laughed.

"Right."

Falling silent for a few minutes, Maggie concentrated on the meal and Bobby on watching her eat. When she was almost finished, he brought up the rest of the afternoon saying, "We could go somewhere, out or to do whatever errands you might need to do. Or..." He hesitated to continue thinking it wasn't very romantic.

Maggie paused in taking the last bite. "Or?"

"We can play Dragon's Breath III." He didn't look at her while he said it. He knew it didn't sound romantic or anything like that, but he knew she liked video games and their first real conversation had been about this one when he was reading a gaming magazine one night at QuickStop. In a way then, this game was what had brought them together, which _did _make it romantic. A little. Kinda. Maybe. Right?

"Dragon's Breath III: World of the Gnomes?" She clarified excitedly. "I forgot all about it! We HAVE to play, there's no decision to make. I can't believe you even asked." Food gone, she started gathering the dishes so they could get a move on.

He took them from her as he did not want her to do anything on her first day off in who-knew-how-long. While washing the dishes, pro at it that he was, he said happily, "Because you're a guest, we'll get preference in the rec-room. This time anyway. Later we'll have to let it be known we want it or use a smaller TV." Putting the last dish in the drainer to dry, he proffered his arm. "Shall we?"

"Oh, indeed we shall!" She responded taking it, a twinkle in her eye. Now she'd see what he was really made of. How a man reacted when he lost to a woman said a lot.

And she intended to win.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"_What do you want, Maggie?_"

"That's a great way to answer the phone, Trevor. I'm supposed to talk to Mom and Josh. Would you put one of them on?"

"_Nope._"

"Trev!"

"_Can't. They're not here. Everyone went to the store._"

"Oh. Why didn't you go?"

"_Because I'm seventeen and didn't feel like it._"

"Gotcha."

"_AND because I'm trying to beat Josh's score on DB3._"

"Good luck. That's not going to happen until he gets distracted by some science thing."

"_I'm still going to try._"

"Isn't it great? We're playing tournament mode now."

"_Killer graphics. Who ya playin' with?_"

"Um... Bobby."

"_Oh, the new boyfriend. He pass the test?_"

"I've won three out of four games and he hasn't freaked yet."

"_So it's looooove. I'll pass it along._"

"... I'd rather you didn't."

"_I'd rather I was an only child._"

"Bye."

"_Bye."_

... End Interlude ...

* * *

"Yes!" Jumping up from the couch, Maggie did a victory dance. "The crowd goes wild as Maggie the defending champion wins her _fifth _game in a row!"

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in." But Bobby was grinning at her display and unable to put any heat in the words. "I'm getting better all the time. I'll get you yet."

"Never happen." She plopped back down on the couch beside him. "While you get better, I get better. It's a vicious cycle running in my favor."

"Ah, but you'll have to go back to work, leaving me to practice."

"Oh no! What will I do?" She put her hand to her head dramatically displaying distress before going back to normal. "Being as we'll both know the efforts you'll have to go through to beat me, I'm cool with that."

"I concede your superiority. Hey, I used a five syllable word, Hank would be proud of me." He chuckled and looked at his watch. "We've been awhile. How 'bout a snack?"

She immediately got back off the couch. "I can eat again."

He laughed and they started back to the kitchen. But on the way, Maggie felt the need to tell him something. "I have a confession to make."

"A confession, huh?" Bobby gave her a doubtful look, putting his hands on his hips.

"Well, more like a warning." She paused, then sighed. "I have a really high metabolism. I'm always hungry."

"You mean," he said slowly, a little disappointed, "I didn't do such a big thing by feeding you?"

"No! Don't _ever _think that!" She was clearly horrified. "I was _starving_. But it sometimes seems like I always am. I just get hungry. A lot."

"Sooooo," he drawled out mischievously, suddenly grasping her around the waist Bobby twirled her about, ending with Maggie leaning against one of the decorative pillars in the hall. "If I wanted to bribe you my best bet is pretty much always going to be food."

"Oh, I'm veeeerrrry bribable." Teasingly, she walked her fingers up his arm. "And not just for food."

Both were smiling but there was an underlying layer of seriousness about them. They were very aware their time was limited. It had been six weeks since they met . During that time, they had come to know each other and determined they wanted to know more. For three weeks they had tried to have a real date. Today wasn't what they had planned but was in line with their personalities and tastes.

But they were both adults possessing adult interests. Those interests had been pushed aside in favor of playtime. Playtime was over, even if the playful mood wasn't.

Staring into each other's eyes, they were aware of the silence in the hallway broken only by the sound of their breathing which seemed very loud in comparison. Slowly, Bobby lowered his head towards Maggie's.

But she thought he was taking far too long. Impatient, Maggie grabbed large handfuls of his shirt. Then she simultaneously pulled him down and lifted her face to his, closing the distance between their waiting lips.

Initiating their first kiss, Maggie proceeded to do her best to kiss him senseless.

to be continued.

* * *

note: Now wasn't that fun? Next chapter we'll finish out the day. Two weeks. Sorry, I know its hard to wait. 

I am coming along on progress, on chapter 9 now. Also finished various other chapters from other stories. Busy, busy, busy, that's me.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	5. Hurrying Along

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 5: Hurrying Along

"Oopsie!" Betsy half-laughed. Dressed in her favorite summer attire, she was wearing a dark gold bikini with a semi-transparent silver wrap around her hips. Today she thought she might even swim. Maybe. "Don't mind me. Carry on with what you're doing."

Pulling back, Bobby flushed, but Maggie giggled. "It's okay, Betsy. We're on our way to get a snack."

"Ummm-hmmm." Crossing her arms, right hip thrust out and left shoulder against the kitchen doorjam, Betsy raised a delicate eyebrow and one corner of her mouth went up. "That's exactly what it looked like."

His flush deepening, Bobby mumbled, "I'll get the popcorn." and almost ran past Betsy.

The two women waited for the door to swing shut behind him before they laughed, and they kindly waited until they finished before following.

Holding the door for Maggie, Betsy asked in a low voice, "Moving along, luv?"

"I'm trying, he passed all the important tests." She sighed. "And isn't he just scrumptious?"

She looked at Bobby consideringly as he got out a large plastic bowl. "I never thought about it."

"You don't need to start now." Maggie said fiercely.

"Oh, don't be that way. Looking never hurt anything." Betsy laughed and raised her voice to normal. "I was actually looking for you for a reason. Jean asked me to pass along that Scott should have your car done tomorrow."

"Great, just in time to go back to work." Maggie rolled her eyes. "At least I'll have clean clothes by then and will be out of the slept-in-my-clothes look."

"Speaking of clothes, if you would like to join us for a dip in the pool, I have an extra bathing suit." Betsy suggested.

Maggie looked her up and down. "One like that?"

"I have a blue one that would go well with your hair." She added wickedly, a twinkle in her eye. "I'm sure Bobby would like it on you."

Turning to watch Bobby put a bag of popcorn in the micowave, Maggie almost purred, "I bet his eyes would pop out."

"Shall I get it?"

"Maybe next time. I want to keep a bit of mystery for a little longer." She continued to watch approvingly as he got out extra butter flavoring for the popcorn. Just the way she liked it. "Like until tonight."

"You are definitely moving things along." Betsy ran a hand down her side. "I have someone outside just waiting for me to inspire him to new heights. I'll see you later."

The back door opened, Remy coming back in. He held the door for Betsy to go out and went to the stove to check on the pots, nodding to Maggie on his way. She didn't notice. Her attention was on the melodious sound of the popcorn popping in the microwave.

Until Remy lifted the lids. Like a moth to a flame, Maggie found herself drawn to the stove and the wonderful aromas eminating from it. Craning her head to look over Remy's shoulder, she asked, "Whatcha doing?"

Looking back at her, he gave a slight smile. "Remy cookin' dinner tonight. Havin' Cajun shrimp wit' red beans and rice. You like Cajun cookin'?"

"I don't know, I've never had it." She looked to Bobby who was taking the popcorn out and dumping it in the bowl, giving him a pointed look. "Sure does smell good."

Forcing back a grin, he affected a serious expression and cleared his throat. "Maggie. Would you like to have dinner with us?"

"Why, Bobby! So nice of you to ask," she gushed. "I'd love to."

"Be couple hours," Remy warned.

"So we'll have time to go to the store." Bobby said solemnly. He held the bowl just out of her reach, taking it to the table. He knew she'd follow. "Get you stocked up on groceries."

"Funny, that's where my family was when I called earlier. At the store." She finally got her hand in the bowl and grabbed a handful. "Sure you don't mind?"

"I suggested it. We can do something else once you've got some of the necessary stuff done." Which was why they were eating in the kitchen instead of going back to the rec-room. They wouldn't stop if they started playing again. "Do you have a list?"

"Yep, in my bag." She frowned, crunching contemplatively. "Where is my bag anyway?"

"I left it in the hall. We'll snag it on the way out." They reached into the bowl at the same time, ending up touching each other instead of the popcorn, and shared a smile.

Remy tiptoed out the back door from whence he came.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"Hello?"

_"Hi, Maggie. Trevor said you wanted to talk to me."_

"Other way around, Josh. Dad said you wanted to talk to me. What's up?"

_"Nothing. I just miss you."_

"I miss you, too. Have you gotten any word?"

_"Another rejection."_

"I'm so sorry. I feel so guilty moving to go to college when you wanna go so bad."

_"It's okay. It wouldn't be right for you to stay for me. It's good you left."_

"Oh, Josh. It's just not fair."

_"We knew it would probably happen. I'm fourteen, I've got time."_

"Still..."

_"Maybe I shouldn't have called."_

"No! You call me any time. Don't you dare give up, Joshua Michael! You hear me?"

_"I won't, I promise. Maybe that's why I miss you so much, Maggie. You always make me feel better."_

"That's what big sisters are for. So did Trev beat your score?"

_"No, and you should have seen it. He was crowing when we got home, he was so excited. I told him that was an old save and got out the other memory card to prove it. He's in his room sulking."_

"He'll get over it. He should have known better."

_"He said you played today with your new boyfriend. Dad wants to talk to him."_

"Too bad. Bobby's going to have plenty of time to practice and doesn't need Daddy giving him tips to sabotage me."

_"You know Dad, but I'll tell him."_

"You do that. Gotta go. We're grocery shopping."

_"'Kay. Love you, Maggie."_

"Back at ya. And Josh? Don't give up hope. There's a place for you. You'll find it someday."

_"Hopefully before Mom finds all the rejection letters and threatens to have Aunt Sandy sue."_

"Yeah, before then. Bye."

_"Bye."_

... End Interlude ...

* * *

They missed having dinner with everyone else. That was more than okay though, because Remy put plenty aside for them. To make it even better, Jean and Ororo went into match-making-mode and set up the formal dining room for a romantic dinner for two. The food was better than anything they could have gotten at a restaurant, they had great atmosphere, and they didn't even have to go anywhere.

So their first date became more of a real one. They stared into each other's eyes. They fed each other from their plates, not caring they had the same food. They pretended they didn't know the two women were peeking in on them every so often and just enjoyed it.

But it came to an end. Maggie still had things to do and had to get home. Reluctantly, they snuffed the candles and cleared the table, leaving the flowers in place. Then they washed the dishes with Jean and Ororo sitting at the breakfast nook sipping tea, pretending they weren't unabashedly listening.

Making the dishwater, Bobby hinted, "I could do this later."

"No, you can't." Maggie handed him her stack of dishes to put in the sink.

"You know, there is such a thing as too much work ethic."

"And also too little." She picked up a towel sitting on the cabinet, getting ready to dry and being very obvious in her actions.

To cover her laugher and continue their pretense, Jean commented, "The weather was very nice today."

Ororo looked as though she were considering it. "Yes, very nice. I must warn you there is a possibility of rain over the weekend."

Bobby exaggerated rolling his eyes causing Maggie to giggle and stand on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, "Don't feel bad, they're sweet. My family's idea of helping is to give my boyfriends tips on video games hoping I won't beat them and get dumped."

"Hey, if they want to do that..." he tried to sound casual.

"Sorry, you're supposed to take it like a man." Her voice dropped sexily. "A big strong man who doesn't get bothered by a little thing like losing at a video game."

"Ah, I see." He held in the disappointment. Not that he really minded, but now it was a challenge.

Jean realized she hadn't spoken for a bit. "Rain, you say?"

"Yes, this weekend." Ororo nodded seriously.

Maggie giggled again and they were quiet until Bobby rinsed the last dish. He attempted to snap his fingers but failed because they were wet. "I just realized you forgot something today!"

Drying the plate, Maggie thought about it but couldn't come up with anything. "Alright, what did I forget?"

"You didn't call your Mom!"

Carefully she put down the now dry plate. From behind she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him and resting her cheek against his back. "Do you know what I really like about you? What I've always liked about you? What I liked about you before I even met you?"

A wry smile on his lips, he joked, "My boyish good looks?"

Letting go, she reached up and boffed the back of his head. "You don't nag me to call my mother."

"You said you told your dad you were going to call her." Bobby reminded her. Seeing the stubborn look on her face he sighed in exasperation. "Come on, Maggie. You love your mom. You have to talk to her some time."

"Yes, I do," Maggie agreed whole-heartedly. "And I will. Sooner or later. Like after I graduate."

"From what you've told me about her, she won't let you not talk to her for much longer." He warned.

"Maybe, just maybe now, I'll call early tomorrow morning while she's still half-asleep so she won't lecture me." Maggie wagged a finger in his face. "But that's all I'm promising and that's all you get to say on the subject of calling my mother."

"Um-hmm," came his non-committal answer.

Neither had noticed Jean and Ororo whispering all during their conversation. If they had they might have vaguely heard such things as "Her mother? Why doesn't she want to talk to her mother?" and "I do not know, perhaps they will say." and "Shhh. I can't hear!"

"What about your dad? You didn't call him either." Bobby pointed out.

"That was on purpose." Maggie ducked her head sheepishly.

He frowned. "I thought not talking to your mom was on purpose."

"It is, but for a different reason." She kept her eyes lowered. "Daddy is of the opinion that I should let guys beat me at video games, so I couldn't call him and let him know we were playing."

Raising his brows, he affected an innocent expression. "And there's something wrong with me winning?"

"Only if you won because you had help. I can handle losing, but I don't like losing because my daddy told you all kinds of tips. That's so not cool."

Jean and Ororo forgot to pretend they weren't listening. They were completely fascinated.

"Your father would have told me how to win." Bobby deadpanned.

"Yes."

"Which would be bad so you didn't call him."

"Right."

"And he would do this because...?" Bobby prompted. He loved hearing about Maggie's family. They were quirky and fun from all she'd told him. No matter how much she talked about them he was willing to hear more. His own family wasn't close and he had known from almost the very beginning Maggie's was. He had often wondered how she had ever been able to move away from them. She missed them a lot and he supposed talking about them helped keep her from being homesick.

"Daddy thinks I deliberately ditch guys by beating them. I think somewhere inside he's afraid I'll end up an old maid and he won't get any grandchildren. As though twenty-three is old and he doesn't have four other children. Ryan's only twelve, he hasn't even turned into a walking hormone like Carter yet." She rolled her eyes. "Daddy doesn't understand it's a test."

The two women at the table nodded to themselves. They understood testing men and were just waiting to find out what playing a game had to do with it. Beyond the normal male-female games, that is, because they didn't understand their interest in video games.

Bobby didn't get it. "You were testing me?"

"Well... yeah." She looked at him in surprise. "I thought you would've gotten that."

"Think I missed it somewhere in there." He shook his head. "Aren't fathers supposed to _not _want their daughters to date?"

"Usually, but Daddy was self-conscious about raising a girl mainly on his own. He was probably really happy all the others were boys." Maggie sighed. "Here's how it started. When I was thirteen some lady he met at my softball game said how most girls my age were dating instead of playing sports. So he went and set me up with her son for my first date. What he didn't know was her son was relief pitcher and second in the city league, right behind _me_, and a total geek. She wanted me off the team and her kid to get a life."

"Let me get this straight." Bobby said. "Your father set you up on a blind date when you were thirteen with a rival because he was afraid you weren't being a normal girl?"

"Yep," she confirmed.

"Maggie, that's a little crazy!" he exclaimed.

"I think it was sweet." Jean whispered to Ororo.

"He was doing what he thought was best for me." Maggie defended.

"What did your mom think?" He just had to know.

"That I was too young to date. She was really busy with a case at the time and didn't find out 'til later." Maggie continued with the story. "Thing is that we were _thirteen_. We went to an arcade and he didn't like it when I won. That's when the video game test was born and when Daddy started telling my boyfriends how to beat me."

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I talked to your dad." he joked.

Maggie threw the damp towel she was still holding in his face. "You probably will. You already passed, so it's okay."

"Because you won." he guessed.

"No, because you didn't freak when I kicked your butt." Maggie said smugly.

Ororo whispered, "A test of character in a game, how ingenious."

Jean nodded. "And how perfect for our Bobby."

Dressed now in regular clothes consisting of jeans and a short green tshirt, Betsy sauntered in. "Oh good, you're still here, Maggie. I wanted to say goodbye before you left."

"Damn," Bobby swore looking at the wall clock. "I didn't realize how late it was. I should get you home. You have all those things to do."

"Yeah. Laundry, here I come. How 'bout you get the game and we can play at my place." Maggie suggested.

"I'll be right back." He promised eagerly.

With varied levels of amusement, all four women watched him go.

"So," Betsy said pointedly, "are you going to... oh, what's that quaint American phrase?... jump his bones?"

"That's the one." Maggie agreed. "And I sure am. Just as soon as we get inside my apartment. I intend to 'rock his world'. That's another useful phrase in these situations."

Choking on her tea, Jean began coughing and sputtering. Maggie rushed over to pound on her back.

"Thank you." Jean gasped, wheezing.

"Oh no, thank _you._" Maggie beamed. "I appreciate you going to so much trouble to make it such a lovely evening."

"It was our pleasure." Ororo stated, a bit wide-eyed herself.

"We didn't think Bobby would think of it." Jean explained.

"That's alright." Maggie shrugged. "I wouldn't have either."

Returning with Maggie's backpack on his shoulder and game in hand, Bobby asked, "Ready to go?"

"Sure." She gave Betsy a quick hug, winked at Jean and Ororo, and started for the door.

"Ladies." He said in farewell. "I'll see you later."

Maggie paused. "Um, Bobby, you're not going to be back tonight."

"I'm not?" It wasn't that he hadn't been hoping for such an invitation but he thought he would have to work at it. Be subtle, maybe. Work up to it in a week or so at least.

"No, you're not." she said firmly.

"Okay." He turned back to the women. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Bobby." Maggie stopped him again. "I don't work until tomorrow night. You won't be back in the morning either."

"Oh." A foolish grin started spreading across his face.

"I intend to wring you dry. You might not walk right for a week." Maggie warned and continued out the door.

He just stood there a moment. When he realized he was staring at the door daydreaming, Bobby shook it off and hurried after her, calling behind him, "Bye!"

The door closing firmly behind him, Betsy asked curiously, "Is it still 'jumping' if she warned him? I would think the word implied surprise."

"Ah," Jean swallowed. "I think it still applies here."

Ororo carefully set down the teacup she'd been holding up for the last few minutes. "I feel I must agree."

"Hmm."

to be continued.

* * *

note: Something I forgot to mention last chapter. Dragon's Breath 3: World of the Gnomes otherwise called DB3, is not an actual game. I made it up. Don't go to your local store and look for it. I didn't think I made it look that interesting but someone emailed me asking about it, so this needed to be said. 

Also a reminder that I cannot respond to your reviews if you don't login or leave an email address. Sorry that's the way it is and I _do_ respond, ask anyone. Otherwise my address is listed on my bio for anyone to see (at the bottom of the page).

Next Chapter! Maggie has to go back to work. Those slave-drivers.

And to update my progress, I'm working on chapter 11 right now. At least two or three more to go, possibly more.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	6. Unexpected Guests

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 6: Unexpected Guests

Maggie really did normally enjoy her job. She considered herself a people person and there were many people coming and going in a convenience store. Most didn't pay any attention to the clerk behind the counter. However, as a good clerk she paid attention to them. Everything else was simply part of the job, something to be endured so she could quietly watch their interactions and observe them in their everyday life.

Friends and family, people who knew Maggie all her life, were always surprised by how she acted while working. The Maggie they knew was loud and flamboyant, very outgoing. Never, but never, was she _quiet_. What they had never understood was that was with THEM. She wasn't shy, but she didn't treat strangers the same way, not even acquaintances.

Somehow, Bobby and Betsy had almost never been strangers. She had met them her first day working at a new store in a new town. Both had been friendly from the beginning, though in different ways. Betsy acting as though they had known each other long before they exchanged words, as though she simply _knew _her; Bobby having found they had a mutual interest and talking to her for over an hour before asking her out. With them she hadn't been able to be the clerk behind the counter. Just knowing them had made her feel better with her decision to move, had helped her with the homesickness riding her from the moment she'd left.

Going to work isn't usually considered fun, even when one really liked their job. From the mood Maggie was in when she arrived at the QuickStop the night after her day off, someone seeing her might think she was on her way to collect her winnings from the state jackpot. She looked just that happy.

Her good mood lasted the whole night. Larry had worked the evening shift and stayed to chat for fifteen minutes. He turned out to be young, earnest, and very interested in anyone remotely female. He flirted and made a pass, but accepted Maggie's rebuff good-naturedly. He reminded her of Carter who she called a walking hormone. The description fit Larry too. In that light, she just couldn't see him as being devious or dishonest, not deliberately. He was too easy-going for that kind of effort.

Normal tiredness, hunger, and Bobby not coming in - poor baby had needed rest - all worked to wear on her, but she was still smiling come morning. She had smiled the during the entire shift. She had smiled while straightening the shelves, smiled cleaning the bathrooms and emptying the trashcans. Maggie had smiled so much her cheeks hurt.

It only took Dave Brubaker to ruin it.

As had become his habit, he was over an hour late. Before he had come in two feet, he was making snide remarks.The floor wasn't clean enough, the coffee wasn't fully stocked, and her hair still had blue in it were his recurring themes that morning. His implications that Maggie was a less than desirable employee who couldn't do her job were grossly unfair and made her burn inside.

It was raining and every incoming customer tracked mud on the floor - it had turned out that Ororo hadn't just been making conversation to cover their interest. There was no way to keep it clean, but the mop and bucket were evidence that she was making the attempt. There was only one cup's worth of coffee missing, leaving three pots full. The store was in better condition since she started at this location and her hair was growing at the normal rate with her roots showing more daily. What else was she supposed to do?

His remarks aside - Maggie had somewhat gotten used to them along with his tardiness over the last few weeks - the worst thing was Dave hadn't made out the weekly schedule. The lack didn't just affect her but everyone working in the store. This was the first time one of his actions couldn't be directed only at Maggie. She couldn't chalk it up to paranoia or reading between the lines, couldn't say it was just because he didn't like her for some reason. This was blatant. He wouldn't even confirm if she was to come back in that day or not, only saying she should call to find out at the appropriate time.

During her day off she had disregarded her problems at work and simply enjoyed herself. With alternating between DB3 and sex - great sex, by the way - and housework, it hadn't been hard. She hadn't caught up on her sleep, but didn't mind in the least.

Fuming on her way home, Maggie reminded herself of her previous intentions. Something had to change. She needed those email addresses. Problem was they weren't that easy to get a hold of. CEO's and Vice-Presidents of major companies didn't put them out for everyone to see and she wasn't _that _good with computers.

If Nicole was to be believed - and Maggie didn't doubt her as she'd been so sincere - she couldn't go to the regional or district managers. She still wasn't willing to involve her mother so couldn't go to her old ones. Her mother would make waves she just didn't want - whether she approved of her daughter's decisions or not, Janice Gaines would feel the need to stick her nose in. Josh was the family genius, but how uncool was it to go to your fourteen year old brother for help with your problems at work? He had enough problems anyway.

Bobby and Betsy knew she wasn't happy with her job, or her boss really because the job itself was fine, but Maggie hadn't gone into too much detail. After all, what could they do? Bobby admitted he was hopeless with any kind of research and Betsy didn't seem the type either. She wanted to keep her work issues separate from them anyway. It didn't affect them, not seriously.

No, the higher-ups in the new management were her best bet.

Arriving at her apartment building, Maggie sighed. She couldn't do anything now. She had to get as much sleep as she could. Just in case she _did _have to work. The jerk.

At least it had stopped raining.

* * *

Sleeping late, thankful it wasn't a day they had an early Danger Room session, and not looking forward to being yelled at for missing the session the day before, Bobby yawned as he walked into the kitchen looking for food.

"Back with the living, sleepyhead?" Betsy teased. She was supposedly waiting for Warren, but was really waiting for Bobby.

She had breached etiquette by mentally scanning Maggie when they had first met, liked everything she'd seen, and set about being nosey and helping the girl. Betsy knew she shouldn't have done it but had sensed Maggie was hiding something and wanted to make sure she wasn't a threat. What she had found was Maggie was suppressing a large dose of homesickness and her true personality because she didn't have anyone she knew close enough to be herself with. By being her friend, Betsy had given her that. She liked her and would have eventually been friendly anyway, so told herself she had only hurried things along.

The little psychic push she had given Maggie to be more receptive to friendly overtures hadn't quite worn off when Maggie had met Bobby though. If things didn't work out between them, she felt she was very responsible for any pain either of them went through. It had seemed obvious that it was going well two days ago when Maggie was at the mansion, but one had to be careful about these things. Especially when it might come out that she had not only scanned Maggie but hadn't taken care to be sure the effects of her meddling had worn off. Charles wasn't quick to forgive such lapses.

And she really did like Maggie, she didn't want to see her hurt. Her major consolation was that Maggie's behavior was natural and she hadn't fallen for someone that wasn't compatible. She wouldn't have thought of Bobby for Maggie, but they might have come to this point even if she hadn't interfered. However, she wasn't taking any chances.

Letting out a somewhat positive sound, Bobby got out a bowl for cereal.

"And how is Maggie?" She continued mildly.

"I wonder if I needed to worry about her." He grunted, pouring milk into the bowl. "She has so much energy she doesn't seem to need to sleep. Maybe if she didn't eat so much she wouldn't have so much energy. A man needs to rest a little bit every once in a while, dammit!"

Bobby flushed as he realized what he had said and to whom. He was really tired of reacting that way around Betsy. Before Maggie, Betsy's little innuendos and quips hadn't ever gotten to him. Of course, they hadn't really meant much then.

Betsy let out a loud trill of laughter. Things were going fine. Better than fine, if Maggie made him feel that way and from the very male feeling of satisfaction that had been rolling off him the night before. She would feel better about it once she had talked to Maggie but as long as Bobby was reacting this way she was sure it was more than sex. She shouldn't have really doubted it, in many ways Maggie was more like her in that department. Which was probably why she liked Maggie so much.

_'Betsy_?'

The laughter ended instantly when Betsy got the telepathic greeting from Jean. _'Yes_?'

_'Have you seen Bobby? He's not in his room.'_

'_He's here in the kitchen having his breakfast_.' she replied.

_'I'll be right there.'_

"Jean's coming." Betsy warned.

"Oh, no." Bobby groaned, sitting back on the bench of the breakfast nook. "She's probably coming to tell me Scott's ready to let me have it."

"Just remind him you are usually one of the few who is always on time for training sessions." She suggested. "I miss all the time. So does most everyone else. We have actual lives."

"Yeah, that sort of thing doesn't work for me." He sighed. "I'm the kid brother figure, remember? I know what my role is and I'm happy with it, but there's a downside to being the immature one."

"Even if you're really not." She knew better. They all did really but it was a role he had chosen to stay in. They both knew he had to take the consequences. Or break out of the role. They also both knew he wouldn't do that. He was the class clown, little boy in sheep's clothing, and prankster in order to relieve the tension that built around the X-Men. They needed that and so did he.

Perhaps her comment was the reminder he needed that he wasn't just the youngest member of the team but a grown man with a degree in accounting and someone who _did _have a sense of responsibility, because sometimes even he forgot. He calmed down and settled in to enjoy his cereal.

Wasting no time, Jean hurried in. She took one look at Bobby calmly eating his cereal and knew she needn't have rushed. "Good, you're still here. I missed you upstairs. I need to talk to you."

"I'll go see Scott as soon as I finish." He said in resignation.

"That's really not necessary. I talked to him for you and he's not upset." Jean got a Dr. Pepper out of the pantry but didn't open it right away, instead playing with the tab.

It was a nervous habit Bobby recognized and put his back up more than if she had said Scott was tearing mad. "Okay. That was nice of you. What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything?" She asked innocently, still not opening the can.

"Jean, this is Bobby. I know you." He finished his cereal and pushed the bowl aside. "You don't get involved if Scott's mad at me. What do you want?"

"Nothing much. Nothing you wouldn't be willing to do anyway." Jean opened the can and took a big gulp.

"What?" he persisted.

Betsy was getting a bad feeling about this. It was a good thing she had stuck around. Anything that could potentially upset _Bobby _could upset his relationship with Maggie. That just wouldn't do.

"I just want you to hold your temper over the next few days." Jean avoided his eyes. "While Alex and Lorna are here. Scott wants to spend some time with him."

That would do it. Betsy had completely forgotten they were coming for a break from the dig. After leaving the X-Men last time, Alex had gone back to his original profession of archeology and taken Lorna with him. They were working on their relationship. Again. In Betsy's opinion, in relation to Bobby, they hadn't left a moment too soon. Bobby had always had a thing for Lorna and she had never missed an opportunity to put him down. Unless she and Alex weren't getting along at the moment, then it was the opposite with her flirting with him like crazy. Either way could be bad for Maggie and Bobby.

"Lorna and Alex. Here." Bobby repeated the important points. "And you didn't think to say anything sooner? They arrive today I take it."

"I didn't want you to get your hopes up." Jean defended. "They're getting along pretty well from what Alex has told Scott. You have Maggie now, so I didn't think it would really be a problem."

"Which is why you waited until the last minute to tell me." He said dryly.

"It wasn't like that. I forgot. Really," she protested. "But when you missed your session yesterday, I thought it would be a good reason to give Scott to not yell at you."

"Thanks." He didn't sound thankful though, just the opposite. "I'll do my best. Maybe I can stay at Maggie's for a few days."

Jean didn't comment but thought it might be a good idea and left as quickly as she'd come in.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"Hello?"

_"Hello, Bright-eyes."_

"Daddy! I didn't expect you to call today."

_"I heard from your brothers that you were officially seeing someone and thought I'd see how it's going."_

"Pretty good. Turns out I'm off today and I'm on my way to surprise him now."

_"And you played Dragon's Breath III?"_

"Yes, we did. And no, I didn't let him win. He came close though."

_"There's hope for him yet. Okay, when you get to the yellow dragon in the forest of Morigan make sure he's got control of the elf from Bladen's Mountain."_

"Daaaaad! No cheating! We'll get through it just fine on our own."

_"Okay, okay. Can't blame me for trying. You two still getting along then?"_

"Yeah, I really like him, Daddy. I wish you could meet him, I know you'd like Bobby too."

_"It might just happen. Your mother has been talking about going to visit you, making sure you're alright."_

"No, absolutely not. Not until after school starts."

_"Maybe you should have called her then like you promised."_

"I tried. No one answered the phone yesterday morning."

_"Yesterday was her regular golf game with Sandy. Your brothers would have been asleep since they stayed up most of the night."_

"I'm sorry, I lost track of what week it is. I'll try again soon. How is she?"

_"She's trying to bake again."_

"Uh-oh. I thought you hid the cookbooks."

_"She bought a new one when she was shopping. I'm trying to talk her into sending her attempts at banana-nut bread to you."_

"That would work. I can throw it away without getting caught."

_"Yep."_

"I'm almost there. Gotta go, Daddy."

_"Don't forget to call your mother. I have to live with her, you know."_

"Well, you married her, but I'll try to remember. Bye!"

... End Interlude ...

* * *

Pulling up in front of the mansion, Maggie had doubts about surprising Bobby. There were strange cars out front, it might not be a good time. Then again, it was a school and could be anyone, parents or students, new teachers, anyone. It didn't have to be personal guests. Strange cars could mean anything. They could also mean that it wasn't a good time to drop in uninvited.

She almost turned around and went back the other way. There were plenty of things she could be doing, least of which was the research she kept putting off or aside. Maggie told herself easy answers were a myth and she should keep working, but after an hour's frustration she had pushed away from the computer to go where she wanted to be. With Bobby.

Telling herself to stop, she continued up the drive. Telling herself to call first, she stuck the phone in her pocket. Telling herself to think, she got out of the car and went to the door. As she rang the bell Maggie told herself to shut up because she wasn't listening. Self-control wasn't her strong suit in these situations. If she was working it would be different but she wasn't working. Time off was for indulgence. That translated to Bobby right now - Betsy was a side benefit.

'Mr. Grumpy' opened the door. Maggie thought she remembered someone saying his real name was Logan, but he would always be Mr. Grumpy to her. She couldn't help it, she labeled people without thinking about it. Those labels stuck in her mind because even after she really got to know someone they still fit. He wasn't always in a bad mood, but looked like it often enough for the name to be fitting. It wasn't like she would call him that to his face.

"Hi," she greeted him. Just being near someone she knew, even if not very well, who didn't look down on her with contempt was improving her mood. Tipping her sunglasses down, her blue eyes were clear and happy. "Bobby busy?"

"Not since he come back last night. I'd say he was real busy 'til then." Logan's brows rose in surprise when she didn't blush like he expected. Instead her lips twitched reminiscent of Betsy. It was no wonder the two got along. "He's out back."

"Good. A little later, he might get busy like that again." She noted the way his own lips twitched at that and began to wonder about the veracity of her label. He might just be fun under the right circumstances. Not for her, but he might have some fun in him. Maggie nodded to the cars. "Am I interrupting anything important?"

"Nah, nothin' ya'll be interferrin' with." He opened the door wider so she could come the rest of the way in. Once the door was closed, Logan started leading the way to the pool. "Few friends is all. Relatives an' such. Ya might find it interestin'."

"Oh?" she prompted, but he didn't say more.

They continued in silence all the way out the backdoor. When they had just reached the edge of the patio, Betsy sat up from a lounger where she had been relaxing. Or trying to anyway. Listening to Jean and Lorna go on and on about the past wasn't her idea of a relaxing time. She felt Maggie's presence and was up like a shot.

Maggie on the other hand, hadn't seen her. Her eyes were trained on a half-dressed Bobby standing with a group of men, most of which she recognized. He didn't look like he was really enjoying himself. Maggie thought she could fix that. One way or the other she could bring a smile to his face. Like it should be.

Intently, she started to cross the lawn to him but Betsy intercepted her.

"Maggie!" she exclaimed softly. "You can _not _go out there like that."

"Huh? Why not?" She allowed Betsy to steer her back inside though. "Bobby looks like he needs a pick-me-up."

"Yes, he does." Betsy was emphatic. "So let's make sure he gets a good one, hmm? I have that bathing suit put aside for you."

"Can't it wait until after I get my hello kiss?"

"No." Inside now, Betsy twitched aside a curtain and pointed at the women sitting on the loungers. "See the green-haired one?"

"Yeah." Maggie narrowed her eyes.

"That's Bobby's ex-girlfriend." She let the curtain fall. "Do you want to go out there without looking the very best you can?"

In her mind, the image of the laughing smiling woman turned red. Maggie didn't have to know the details of Bobby's relationship with the woman. He had said enough without naming names. They had been honest with each other about their love lives. He had said only one still had the power to hurt him. From Betsy's reaction, she didn't need to be told this was the one.

Remembering the pain in Bobby's voice, Maggie didn't need to meet her to give her a label. She had done that while he was talking. It was 'Bitch'.

Mentally comparing the pink and yellow revealing one-piece swimsuit Bobby's ex was wearing to the tshirt and shorts she had on, then thinking of the swimsuits Betsy wore and Bobby's likely reaction to something similar on _her_, Maggie said emphatically, "Lead the way."

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
Okay, well things are about to heat up, huh? Just a warning for Polaris fans. I don't like her. I have never liked her. She will not be shown in a good light. I'm not going to extremes but, well, I don't like her. 

Why? Well, once I started thinking about Bobby as a main character as opposed to a more secondary role, I started thinking about how she related to him and vice-versa. I feel like she's played with him for years, starting from the beginning. The way I see it, he was pretty serious about her and she looked at his apparent immaturity, didn't care to look further, and put him in a category marked "not to be taken seriously".

I'm not alone in this. Many people think she has toyed with his heart for too long. I did not feel like I could do a story on Bobby without getting into this. I don't mean to imply anything except that I don't like her and feel that she has done wrong. From what I can tell, she doesn't even feel bad about breaking his heart over and over again.

That's all I've got for now since I've started updating my progress on my bio.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	7. Unexpected Gifts

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 7: Unexpected Gifts

Standing on the far side of the pool with Alex, Scott, Warren, and Logan, Bobby couldn't seem to let go of his bitterness. Lorna had started in on him almost right away. They had broken up years before and he still couldn't decide if it was the best or worst thing to ever happen to him. Maybe it was both.

"Hey, Bobby, you've been a little quiet there. Thinking hard?" Alex jibed good naturedly. In the past, his words would have had a sting to them. When he was part of the X-Men or other affiliated groups, he had felt a rage inside that never completely went away. Changing his life, going back to his original profession, had relieved it. He even felt a bit of guilt for the way Lorna reacted around Bobby, but there was no controlling a woman like her. All he could do was be friendly to try and alieviate it.

"Just thinking," Bobby said simply, without any heat because he could tell Alex was trying. He wasn't discounting the man's efforts, but it was a difficult situation. He didn't think anything could make it better.

"So who's this new girl of yours Warren was talking about? You were a little spaced and missed it. She's someone new?"

"Maggie?" he asked in surprise. "I met her about six weeks ago. She's great."

"Friendly with Betsy, right?" Alex nodded towards the building. "That her? She's something."

"Hmph." Logan grunted. "Wondered where she got to, arrived an hour ago."

Some premonition made Bobby pause before slowly turning to follow Alex's nod. The same direction the others were now looking. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

The swimsuit he dimly recognized as Betsy's was almost the exact shade of the streaks in her hair. What there was of it. The suit was little more than strings. On the bottoms, those strings rested at the top of Maggie's hips, emphasizing her tiny waist. Her breasts somehow seemed larger, having only small triangles of cloth on them connected by more thin strings. From his personal experience, he knew her nipples were barely covered - he was surpised they actually were covered.

Over the suit she had on one of _his _button down shirts. Far too big for her, it was falling off Maggie's shoulders, the collar making her neck look very long and inviting. She might as well not be wearing the shirt since it didn't seem to be covering anything, parted wide open and hanging off her shoulders as it was. The slight breeze rustled the edges, brushing the tails of the shirt against her thighs as she walked - strutted - drawing attention to her long, slim, lightly tanned legs.

To complete the image, in a total change for her, Maggie's hair was all tossed to the right side. She usually had a part down the middle and let it hang down and tucked behind her ears or in a ponytail. The new style made the blue streaks appear to be one large one and helped to give the impression of a longer neck. A neck he distinctly remembered kissing thoroughly, which the hickey at the base testified to.

But it wasn't what she was wearing, not wearing, or the change in her hair that made the difference in her. It was a confidence, an attitude. The woman walking toward him was sexy and knew it. Sexuality radiated from her. Her focused gaze was intent, heated, and concentrated solely on Bobby.

Maggie was showing all that _he _was the object of all that sexuality.

Bobby knew he wasn't a troll. He had dated and had sex in the past. But he wasn't the ladies man Remy was. He didn't have whatever it was Logan did that drew women to him. He wasn't upright, responsible, and commanding like Scott and Alex to varying levels. He knew he had a good body, he worked hard for it, but he was the _normal _one. Never had a woman focused on him in such a manner. Basically singled him out, essentially laying a claim. It just didn't happen to him.

The can of beer in his hand became a block of ice, slipped from his suddenly slack fingers, and thumped into the grass at his feet. His thoughts were encompassed by her, racing in all directions. His eyes were wide and appreciative. He didn't remember moving, but walked forward seeing nothing but her.

For that moment at the very least, Maggie owned him. She knew it. He knew it. All those watching knew it. And he didn't care. In the very back of his mind where thought was still possible, Bobby was concentrating on not falling down on his knees and giving praise that God had created woman.

They didn't meet halfway, he walked too slow for that and had moved only a few feet. When Bobby was standing only about half a foot away, he stood still as a statue. Maggie's head tilted to the side just looking at him, waiting for him to say something, anything.

He didn't move.

More than pleased with his reaction, Maggie raised a hand, snapped her fingers in front of his face.

Nothing.

With a low seductive chuckle, she reached up and flicked the tip of his nose with one finger.

Bobby blinked, it was like she had flipped a switch to bring him back to his senses. "All this for me?" he murmured softly.

"Who else? Mr. Grumpy over there?" she whispered back so low she thought only Bobby could hear her. Maggie didn't notice Logan's eyebrows raise. "I hope you don't mind I stole your shirt."

"I have a closet full. You can have them all." Bobby breathed. He thought he might frame it when he got it back.

"One is fine." Again Maggie waited but he didn't say anything else. "Aren't you going to kiss me hello?"

"Hello and anything else you want." Bobby closed the distance between them, kissing her with everything inside him, not caring who all was watching.

"Mmm, that was nice. We'll have to try it again when we're more private." Maggie flicked his nose again. "I'm going to go sit with Betsy. Why don't you come get me later. Maybe we can play a game... or something."

"Okay," he said weakly.

Walking backward, her feet bare in the lush lawn, Maggie had one more thought to impart before joining Betsy at the loungers she had claimed for them on the opposite side from the other women. "And Bobby? Make sure your air conditioner is turned off. It wouldn't do for us to freeze in the act. Or me, anyway."

Once more imitating a statue, Bobby watched her saunter away. His eyes remained glued to her until Warren slapped him on the back saying, "That's some woman."

"Yeah, she sure is," he said with feeling.

"Looks like you need another beer." Alex turned to get one out of the cooler beside Scott.

Bobby looked blankly at his empty hand. He hadn't realized he'd lost it. "Just let me go turn off my AC." He ran into the house.

The men hadn't been the only ones watching the show Maggie and Betsy had staged. Lorna had gone silent once she had seen who the newcomer had been going after. It wasn't that she was interested in Bobby herself, she loved Alex, but in some way for a long time Bobby had been _hers_.

A bit cattily, Lorna said to Jean, "A bit obvious, wasn't it?"

"Perhaps, but I think I like Maggie." Jean hadn't picked up on the tone. "She seems to be good for Bobby."

"Just about any adult activity is good for Bobby." Lorna dismissed disdainfully.

Ororo stepped in and changed the subject, but Lorna continued to look at 'Maggie' through narrowed eyes. She had decided she didn't like 'Maggie'. Not one little bit.

* * *

Bobby wasn't gone long. He didn't want to let Maggie out of his sight. Which was pretty obvious when he sat down on the cooler to simply stare at her.

He couldn't get enough. She was magnificent. Beautiful, sexy, smart, fun, and at some time in the near future she would be alone with him again. He was trying to think of something special for her, but all that he could come up with was 'Wow'.

"Hey, Bobby?" Scott interrupted his gaze, waving a hand in front of his face until he took notice. "The barbeque grill is ready and we're about to start cooking. Which would Maggie prefer, hamburger or hotdog?"

Wondering where on her body it all fit, Bobby gave the correct answer, "Both. In fact, a couple of each." He paused to consider and added, "To start."

"Whoa, good eater, huh?" Alex chuckled.

"You have no idea," Bobby laughed, feeling good for the first time that day. "It's hard work keeping her in food."

On the lounger where his eyes were trained, Maggie reached both hands over her head, stretching her whole body. Bobby's body went hot and his mind started the process of going blank. But the sleeves of his shirt slid down her arms and something caught his attention. Something new. Something which filled him with concern.

Getting up from the cooler, he said something to excuse himself - what, he wasn't sure - and made his way across the yard, circling the pool. Maybe it was nothing, but Maggie hadn't said anything about being prone to rashes, never mentioned any allergies. Some people couldn't use certain detergents, he knew because his mother was like that. What if he used something on his shirt she couldn't be around? It would be his fault she was breaking out.

Maggie didn't see him coming, but Betsy did. "Looks like your fish took the bait, luv. I'll just move along to leave you alone. Lord help me, I'm going to sit with the other women. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Though I can think of many I would." She winked, suppressed a giggle, and rose to her feet. It wouldn't do any harm to find out how things were going with the others anyway, perhaps see how Lorna was taking the loss of her puppy.

Bobby passed her on his trek but didn't react to her smirk. He was trying to get another glimpse of the rash, but that damn shirt had fallen down Maggie's arm again. He wanted to be subtle, he didn't think she'd appreciate it if he freaked on her, but was growing more concerned with every step.

Then her eyes twinkled up at him and he almost forgot what he'd come over for.

"Hey." Maggie gestured to the now empty seat, and the sleeve shifted to remind him.

"Hey." Determinedly, he took hold of her hand. "Um, are you having a good time?"

She smiled, slow and seductive. "A better one now. What took you so long?"

"I thought you wanted to talk to Betsy." Surprise tinged his voice. Hadn't she said something along those lines? He couldn't remember much of anything about her arrival but how beautiful she was.

"I did, but I can talk to her anytime." Maggie almost tugged her hand free but liked the way he was playing with her fingers.

"Are... ah..." Subtle, he thought to himself, be subtle. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Feeling alright?" Her face scrunched up. "What do you mean?"

Down with subtle. Keeping hold of her hand, Bobby pushed back the sleeve revealing the rash going from the middle of her upper arm to just below the elbow. It didn't look as bad as he'd been building it, but it was definitely there. "Are you allergic to something? Like some detergents?"

Jerking her hand away and pulling the shirt back down, Maggie ducked her head, muttering, "I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about."

"Maybe you should take off the shirt." He _was _worried, dammit. First she was food and sleep deprived, and now she was breaking out. He cared, he couldn't help worrying. "I don't want to be the cause of you getting sick or something."

"I'm not allergic to anything and you weren't supposed to see that." The smile this time didn't reach her eyes. "Just pretend you don't know."

"Mag-gie," he sing-songed her name, "you basically issued an invitation a little while ago. There's no way I wouldn't have seen it. What's going on? Why are you embarrassed?"

"I'm not embarrassed." Though she was. Sighing, Maggie gave up. She knew he wouldn't let it go. "It's from stress, okay? It'll go away once things settle down."

"Stress." He repeated. "When you're under stress you break out in a rash?"

"Only sometimes. It's nothing, really. I'll put some lotion on it and once everything is back to normal it'll go away." But she rubbed at her arm. He didn't miss that.

"Let me follow this." He considered her past few weeks. "Did you break out when you moved here?"

"No, I was excited not stressed." She looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Was it something I did? Am I somehow putting pressure on you?" He hadn't thought so, but you never knew.

"Oh no, Bobby." How could he think that? Maggie pushed a stray lock of hair back from his face. "You're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time."

"Okay. Good. Great." He thought some more. "Something happen with your family?"

"They're fine."

That left only one thing he could think of. "Work. Something else happened at work." The look on her face told him he was right. Now he was angry. "Your boss. What did the jerk do?"

"Please, don't get mad. I came here to have some fun and get away from all that." Maggie sat up, turning sideways on the lounger to face him squarely. "There's nothing you can do anyway."

"He doubled your hours again, didn't he?" He could see it was bothering her to talk about it, but he was fed up with the bastard. He treated Maggie like shit! "Couldn't he see what it did to you last time?"

"He didn't, and I'm pretty sure Dave doesn't care what it might do to me if he did." Rubbing her arm, Maggie held back her own anger. She didn't want to make Dave more important than he was. Sooner or later, he'd get his. As soon as she figured out how to get what she needed. It was a good company, they wouldn't put up with his actions... Damn, now she could feel a headache building.

Taking her hand so she couldn't exacerbate the rash further, Bobby felt his anger drain away. Maggie didn't need it.

He was about to apologize when her shoulders slumped and she said in a defeated tone. "He cut my hours. With the overtime, I'll still be able to make my bills this month. But if it keeps up, I'll have to dip into what I have in my tuition and books savings. Registration is already paid for. I just... I don't need this."

"I thought you were short-handed? How was he able to cut your hours?" He said it gently as he moved to sit beside her, putting one arm around her shoulder, still holding her hand so she couldn't rub her arm anymore.

Maggie shrugged. "With Larry, we have a full staff now. But he seems to have gotten someone from another store to work some of the hours. Grocery day and such."

Which he couldn't seem to do when you needed it, Bobby thought but held back the terse words he wanted to say. She needed to relax and he knew just how to do that. "Okay, here's what we'll do. You said lotion would help the rash and somebody around here must have some. We'll put lotion on your arm. Then I'll pick up some burgers and stuff, we'll go up to my room and play a game. Just veg out. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." Maggie layed her head on his shoulder.

"And if you want to reduce _my _stress, keep that shirt buttoned in public." His tone might have been severe but his eyes were laughing.

Giggling, she allowed him to lead the way inside.

They made a cozy picture which didn't go unnoticed. At least by Lorna.

"Well, where are they going?" She nodded to the couple going inside, unaware of the indignation she was revealing. "The food is almost ready."

"Oh, I'm sure Bobby will make sure Maggie eats. He's very protective of her that way." Betsy was feeling smug. She had felt Maggie's tension and seen the rash. Bobby was taking care of her and getting them both out of Lorna's way. Whether the latter had been his intention or not was beside the point. "And what do you care what they do?"

"It's a little rude, don't you think?" Lorna was still looking at the door they had gone through.

"Some people wouldn't take it as such. She's his guest, they are adults, and can do what they want. If they want to be alone nobody cares." Simulating surprise, she let doubt color her words. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

"Of course not. Bobby and his little friend don't bother me at all." Lorna said firmly and got up to dive into the pool.

Keep telling yourself that, Betsy thought to herself, and more importantly act that way.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

_"Janice Gaines."_

"Hello, Mom."

_"Maggie. How is everything in... ah..."_

"Salem-Center, Mom, Westchester."

_"That's it, yes. How is Salem-Center?"_

"It's great. Just great."

_"Maggie-"_

"Mom-"

"You go first."

_"I don't understand why you're wasting your life this way. You're strong, beautiful, and smarter than I ever was. You could be so much better than me. Bigger."_

"I don't want to be you. I don't want to be more than you. Unless you're talking about how it came to be or the people behind it, law holds absolutely no interest for me. I don't want to be a big shark in a little pool."

_"Please. There is much more to it than you make it sound like, and with your insights you would be brilliant. You-"_

"NO! I'm not going to fight about it again! That's why I haven't talked to you sooner!"

_"If you would only listen-"_

"YOU'RE the one not listening, Mom! Please, for once, would you listen to _me_? If I'm all the things you say I am, why can't you let me make my own decisions? I really don't want to get into this. I just called to say... I love you."

_"I love you, too. That's why-"_

"No. That's it. That's all that needs to be said. I love you and I miss you."

_"Darling, let's talk-"_

"Bye, Mom. I'll try to call you again in a few days."

_"Margaret! Don't you _dare _hang up!"_

(click)

... End Interlude ...

* * *

The cool water felt good as she washed the tears from her face. Maggie considered herself in the mirror. Her eyes didn't look too red, just enough for Bobby to feel guilty. Which he should after plying her with food and DB3, saying her game was off and he'd let her win, tempting her with sex, then making her call her mother without putting out. Talk about a tease! Even if he was right and it was a piece of stress she could confront and relieve, even if she did feel a little better, he should feel a bit guilty.

She jumped at the knock on the door, and called out, "Hello?"

"Uh, hello! My name's Jenny, I'm a friend of Bobby's. He asked me to check on you?"

Opening the door, Maggie was surprised to see someone she hadn't met. She thought she had seen everyone from the school. The brown-haired woman wasn't especially pretty but had an engaging look to her. "Scared to face me himself, huh?"

"Maybe giving you some space would be a nicer way to put it," Jenny suggested.

"Oh, we're being _nice _about it." Maggie retorted, then winced. Not a good impression to give when she was just meeting the woman. "Sorry."

"I completely understand. Bobby can be a handful. I used to work here and there were times he drove me crazy."

"Glad it's not just me." They were slowly walking down the hall towards the backdoor as everyone was still congregated outside. With the lights on, since it had grown dark. "Did he get overprotective with you too?"

"Not exactly. Bobby has a tendency to play pranks. To excess." Jenny said dryly.

"So you don't live here anymore? Kinda wondered since I thought I'd met everyone from 'up the hill'."

"No, my husband does, and I have a house close to the bar I work at, Harry's. I think Kurt goes to the Exxon near us." Holding the backdoor open for Maggie, Jenny hesitated. "You should know I've heard all about you from Jean."

"That's cool. Means I don't have to tell you everything."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it. I've just never been fond of gossip, but I couldn't resist." Suddenly Jenny smiled, lighting up her whole face and making Maggie change her opinion of how pretty she was. Jenny pointed at a man with black hair holding a baby waving his arms. "That's my guys."

"Ohhhh, you have a baby!" Maggie gushed. "Can I hold him?"

"Sure." Jenny gave the man a quick kiss. "This is my husband Kurt." Taking the child from him and depositing him in Maggie's arms, she said, "And this is Zelig. He's eight months."

"Such a big boy." Maggie cooed at him. Zelig stared at her, then reached up a chubby hand to grab her blue hair. Chuckling, she caught it in time. "I know all about that one, buddy."

"Our son has a fascination vith ladies hair." Kurt said with pride.

"He'll grow out of it. My brothers did, mostly." Maggie sighed when Zelig leaned towards his mother, quickly losing interest in her since she wouldn't let him play with her hair. "Guess I don't make the grade."

"My little man here is tired." Jenny accepted her son back with a wry smile. "He's been passed around for the last hour."

"Yeah, he didn't let me hold him at all." Bobby said from behind Maggie. "Maybe we were playing the game a little too long."

Previously, Maggie had thought to make Bobby suffer. He deserved it after all. But seeing the nervous way he was standing there, she just couldn't do it. She had to let him off the hook. Bobby just looked so damn cute, and he had really been very sweet, trying to help her. He obviously knew she wasn't happy with him for interfering with her fight with her mother. It wasn't his fault she'd gotten embarrassingly emotional afterwards. Well, maybe it was, she could blame him anyway.

Before she had a chance to say anything, Lorna started laughing uproariously.

"You were up there for hours and you were playing a video game?" She said incredulously and laughed again. "And here I thought you were growing up! Instead you found someone just as immature as you are!"

Filled with shock, Maggie didn't know what to say. Then she saw the way Bobby stiffened and clamped his lips shut. Here was the sweetest, nicest guy she had ever met. He had been helping her in every way he could since the day they met, helping her at work, later bringing her dinner, listening to her talk about her family endlessly, finding someone to fix her car, and today - discounting the thing with her mother, which he had still helped with by suggesting what to say to her - helping her relax and creating a stress free environment for her. Who the HELL did this woman think she was?

"Excuse me? Care to tell me what's wrong with having fun and playing video games?" she said mildly with narrowed eyes.

Sensing whatever was going to be said or done next wasn't going to be good for little ears, Jenny took several steps back, but was unwilling to go completely out of earshot. Listening to gossip was one thing, watching a scene as it occurred was another.

"_Adults _find more grown up ways to have fun than video games." Lorna sneered.

"If you mean sex, we do that too." Maggie said brightly. "But lets see, what would you think is an adult profession? How about a plumber or someone in the military?"

"I-I suppose so," Lorna sounded taken aback by the question. How did professions come into this?

"Not an accountant and teacher, I guess, like Bobby." Maggie said musingly, with a bite to her words. "How about a man who was formerly in the military, got out to get married and took up plumbing, then gave that up too to take care of his kids because his wife made more money than he did and he wanted them to have a parent at home? Would that kind of man sound more grown up to you?"

"Uh, I-I guess that sounds pretty grown up." Lorna wasn't sure what else to say, Maggie had taken her jibes in an unexpected direction. She also wasn't used to being spoken to in this manner. No one had ever stood up to her like this before. Most people who knew her either weren't the type to do so or wouldn't dare. Polaris was a power to be feared on many levels.

"That's good to hear, because my FATHER did just that! And he _happens _to be a better player than anyone else I know. My Dad, who reminds me a lot of him," Maggie pointed at Logan who blinked in surprise and looked around to be sure he was the one she meant, "except with his family, learned how to braid hair and change diapers because he _loves _us! He swallowed his pride, let my mother bring in the money, and became a stay at home parent for us! His favorite past-time is playing any game he can get his hands on and, by God, you better not EVER say that's not adult again!"

"I didn't mean to say anything against your father-" Lorna tried to apologize weakly.

"You don't even know me!" Maggie continued as though she hadn't said anything. "You have absolutely no CLUE how mature I am or not!"

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything about you-"

"And BOBBY, from everything I've seen, works his _tail _off! He can do whatever the HELL he wants to in his free time without _your _approval!" She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself for her parting shot. "For myself, I don't think taking potshots and calling people names is very _adult _and _grown up_. Why don't you try it?"

"I-I-I..." Lorna tried to find something to say back but looking around she saw how everyone's eyes either avoided hers or looked at her in amusement. She decided the best thing to say was nothing at all.

Turning away from the now silent woman dismissively, Maggie said quietly to Betsy, as though she hadn't been just yelling at Bobby's ex, "I need to change. I should be getting home in a bit."

Wanting to clap and shout 'Bravo!', Betsy restrained herself so as not to ruin Maggie's exit. She waited for her friend to kiss Bobby's cheek and whisper in his ear, then took her arm to lead her back to her room where her clothes were.

Alex waited for Lorna to be ensconced with Jean and Ororo somewhere inside before he went to Bobby and clapped him on the shoulder, "Like the man said, she's something."

"Yeah," Bobby breathed, feeling as though he'd just been given the best Christmas and birthday presents ever all in one. "She sure is."

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
So it wasn't a showdown, but a tell-off. Works for me. There will be a little more with Lorna and Alex, but not much. This was enough to make me happy in my anti-Lorna feelings. 

Next: We learn a little someting more about Maggie's mother andbreakfast at the mansion. In two weeks.

I'm almost done with chapter 14 and don't think there will be more than 15, but we'll see.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	8. Breakfast at the Mansion

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 8: Breakfast at the Mansion

... Interlude ...

_"Maggie?"_

"Ryan! Does Dad know you're up?"

_"He said I could call you, even dialed the number."_

"I wondered, didn't think you knew my cell number. I almost didn't answer, you know, thought it would be Mom."

_"Yeah, Dad said that. But Maggie... are you wasting your life? What does that mean?"_

"Did you ask Dad? Or Josh?"

_"Yes, but Josh didn't say anything and Dad said it was up to you. So are you?"_

"No, I'm doing what I want to and I don't want to be a lawyer like Mom."

_"Does that mean Carter is? He's going to be a lawyer."_

"No, Ry. Carter wants to be a lawyer like Mom and Aunt Sandy. If he didn't, _then _he would be wasting his life because he wouldn't be happy. I don't and I'm not, so I'm not wasting mine. See?"

_"I guess. So is Josh wasting his life? He's not happy."_

"Josh has special circumstances. He's different than we are. I really think Dad would be better at explaining it."

_"Okay. But why did you have to leave to be happy? Can't you be happy here?"_

"It's complicated. The school I want to go to is here and as long as I was there Mom would keep hoping I'd change my mind. You've never asked about it before, buddy, is something wrong? You seemed fine with me leaving."

_"Because I don't have to share a room with Trevor anymore. Little League just started and you won't be here to go to my games like you used to."_

"I know, I wish I could. But everyone else will be there. Maybe Dad can record it and send it to me. We'll go over it together on the phone and I'll tell you what you're doing right and wrong."

_"It won't be the same."_

"Some weekend I'll come visit. It would be after school starts, though. Hey, did Carter dump his girlfriend?"

_"Yeah, he's dating Marybeth now. Mom doesn't like her."_

"Which means she's more like me and Aunt Sandy, right?"

_"I guess so. How come Aunt Sandy is Mom's best friend but they're nothing alike?"_

"Sometimes it just happens that way. Mom and Dad aren't much alike either but they love each other."

_"Yeah, okay. Dad says I have to go to bed now since it's almost midnight. He also says you're in trouble because you made Mom mad."_

"Tell Dad I love him too."

_"Okay, and I'll charge the camera so he'll have to use it."_

"There ya go. 'Nite, Ryan."

_"Good night, Maggie."_

... End Interlude ...

* * *

Being as her internal clock was completely messed up from working and playing at odd hours, Maggie woke up early the next morning.

With a bowl of cereal in one hand and the mouse in the other, she continued the search for the elusive email addresses.

That only lasted an hour when frustration took its toll and she distracted herself with a gaming site. She figured she had time since she was off until the late shift the next night. Or that's what she told herself. In reality, she was getting discouraged. She was a casual computer user, no ways near expert, and was starting to think she wasn't going to get what she needed without help from someone far better than she was. Maybe a hacker.

Reluctantly, Maggie forced herself to try again. And again. And again.

Then her cell phone rang.

"Hello, handsome," she greeted after seeing the caller id.

"And good morning to you, beautiful." Bobby returned. She could almost hear him smile. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Maybe a little bit," she hedged, "a couple hours ago."

"How 'bout you come on over here then? We're doing a big breakfast thing and there's plenty."

Making a face, Maggie expressed her doubts. "Are you sure I should come over? I don't think Jean likes me so much anymore since I exploded all over your ex-girlfriend last night."

"She suggested it." Bobby replied. "If you're really worried about Jean just bring a large Dr. Pepper and some Hershey's Kisses. That's what Scott does."

Changing ears as she got up and went to her dresser, Maggie gave in, "Should I bring anything else?"

"Just you're pretty little self," he assured her.

One handed, she ran a brush through her hair. "Okay, I'll be there in about twenty minutes. I have to get dressed and I'll stop off at the Quickstop."

"Oh, really?" Bobby's voice lowered. "What are you wearing?"

"A big green tshirt with Garfield on it." Distracted getting her clothes out, Maggie had missed the connotation to his words but caught on quickly. In a clearly fake husky tone, she added, "And nothing else."

"My, oh my. Tell me more," he teased.

"You're gonna hafta guess, lover-boy. Until later." And because she hung-up before he could say anything else she didn't hear him laugh.

* * *

Once she'd stopped talking, it only took her a couple minutes to throw her clothes on. She didn't feel like dressing up, but put her make-up in her bag for later if it might be needed. Yesterday, Bobby had suggested a movie again. What she was wearing was fine for just about anything they had discussed, but make-up niced up any ensemble.

She did stop at the QuickStop and took her time there - because Nicole was on duty instead of Dave. Maggie didn't stop with a Dr. Pepper and Hershey Kisses. She went all out getting a large assortment of candy and some Twinkies which she had seen various residents from the school buy. And lottery tickets, she didn't forget those.

Just a bit of an apology in case she'd offended anyone besides Lorna last night. She did not in any way regret what she'd said, but wanted to smooth things over for those who had been friendly to her. She genuinely liked them, from 'Chocoholic' to 'Mr. Grumpy'.

"Wow, you going on a binge?" Nicole asked wide-eyed.

"Some things for my boyfriend's friends." Maggie demurred.

Ringing up everything and putting them in a bag, Nicole probed, "Boyfriend? You didn't tell me you were seeing anyone."

"Didn't I?" Maggie frowned thoughtfully. "Oh yeah, you were on vacation for two weeks and missed it. Bobby teaches at that school. Xavier's."

"What?" She was obviously flabbergasted. "Maggie, tell me you're joking."

"No, Bobby's been wonderful to me. What's wrong?"

Leaning forward, Nicole whispered, "Didn't you get it when Dave told you about that place? They teach _mutants _up there."

"I don't care about that sort of thing," Maggie brushed the idea aside. She'd been honest with Bobby and had no interest in the 'mutant issue'. For personal reasons as well as because she just didn't think it was right to hold it against someone that they were born different. Wasn't that the same thing as discriminating against race or gender? She'd always thought so.

"Neither do I. Or I guess not, it's never really come up with me. But didn't you stop to think about why Dave said it in the first place?" Nicole demanded. "Think, Maggie! He's anti-mutants! Dave hates that place. No wonder he's taken a dislike to you."

"He can dislike me all he wants to then! I can date whoever I like." Maggie said firmly. "My parents don't dictate to me that way, my boss sure doesn't get to."

"You're not in the loop, so let me fill you in." Nicole warned. "Dave Brubaker is friends with the district manager and the regional manager. They're not going to side against him. You have your scholarship to think about. Remember that?"

"How could I forget?" she grumbled. "This new company doesn't discriminate against mutants, and besides I'm not one."

"The _company _doesn't have to. Dave does. He told you about the school so you'd know not to be nice to them."

"Do you do that, Nicole?" Maggie asked quietly. "Do you treat them bad because they teach mutants?"

"Well... I don't treat them nice, but I don't treat them bad either." Nicole admitted and suggested, "Why don't you pretend you broke up with him? It's not like you have to really do it."

"I can't, I'm not the kind to lie like that." She had her pride and wasn't willing to hurt Bobby that way, among others. "If it's such a problem, maybe I can change stores. I didn't want to do that but I'd rather than pretend to be something I'm not."

"I think it's too late, anyway." Nicold said sadly.

"We'll see."

Putting her purchases in her car, Maggie sat in it for a few minutes getting her anger under control. She was tempted to call her mother right then and there. But they weren't even getting along yet and it felt like that would be overkill. Her mother wouldn't go after Dave, she'd go straight to the top. The company wasn't bad, just the opposite.

To be honest, she hadn't really understood the significance of the buy-out. Josh had told her. He really was so smart, he knew something about everything. Maggie felt loyalty to QuickStop after five years, but her little brother had told her the greatness of the new holding company. Over and over again. Old and established, it would improve her benefits once it had finished - including the scholarship program. It also gave better raises than the old version of the company and believed highly in hiring from within. The last didn't concern her but all the rest sounded good.

Most importantly - something she really believed in - it didn't seem to be politically motivated. Forward thinking, it was unbiased in its hiring practices, no matter of race, religion, gender, age, or genetics. But how long would it take for the company's policy in that regard to filter down to the lower levels? Without help, that is.

She really needed those email addresses. It was becoming more and more evident she wasn't going to get them on her own, if yesterday and this morning's efforts were any indication. She just hadn't gotten anywhere. She was going to have to make some choices, decisions, she hadn't wanted to.

But later, because she had a cute guy waiting for her with food, and she was getting hungry.

* * *

Bobby met her in the driveway, tapping on her window as soon as she turned off the motor.

"It's been almost thirty minutes, not twenty," he accused.

"Sooor-ry!" Maggie rolled her eyes. "I went a little crazy at the store."

His eyes went wide at the full grocery bag. "How much stuff did you get? It was just supposed to be a little bag of chocolate."

"I didn't want to leave anyone out," she defended.

Taking the bag, he put his arm around her shoulders. "So what did you get me?"

"Me." Maggie said innocently.

"That works." Pausing on the front porch, he gave her a scorching kiss. Pulling away, he rested his forehead against hers. "That works fine."

Maggie laughed. "Maybe I got you some Twinkies and M&M's."

"Peanut?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course." she scoffed. "Like plain's good enough for my guy."

Making their way through the main hall now, Bobby got serious. "So how's your arm?"

"It's fine." Maggie rolled her eyes again. "And I put some medicated cream in my backpack."

"Good." He shook a finger at her sternly. "No scratching."

She couldn't help laughing. He was just so darn sweet. Some people would have freaked and been worried it might miraculously transfer to them, but not Bobby. He just worried about her. And _some _people thought he was immature? But she didn't want to get worked up again. Besides, Bobby might freak about her stress level or something.

"And you and your mom are getting along now?" he continued, taking her compliance for granted.

"Not exactly, I just laid down the groundwork. You should know," Maggie said warningly, "that I don't want to completely make-up."

Taking her by the elbow, Bobby stopped her. "What do you mean? You've been worked up about not getting along with her and you _don't _want to make-up?"

"Maybe I didn't say it right. I want us to talk without it turning into a lecture on becoming a lawyer, but I don't want to be _too _friendly. Get it?"

"No." He waited patiently for her to explain, thinking it was probably one of those women things he would never be able to understand.

"My Mom doesn't know how to go part-way." Maggie didn't know if he could understand either but tried anyway. "She'll want to be pals."

"And that's bad?" he prompted.

"Not _bad_, but really really not me. Last time she decided we should 'bond' she made me go shopping with her." Maggie shuddered. "We were out for hours, went to like twenty stores, and didn't buy a thing. It was horrible."

He knew he should stop there. He just knew it. But he was curious. "Was she looking for something specific?"

"Kinda. We were purse shopping. For me." She said it like it was something he should understand right away.

It took him some thought. "But you don't carry a purse, you have that bookbag that weighs a ton."

"Exactly." She nodded satisfactorily, point made.

Deciding that he should have stopped and just accepted, Bobby opened the door to the Formal Dining room. There were just too many people in the building for the kitchen or regular dining room. Luckily - as if he hadn't delayed calling Maggie for just that reason - Lorna had finished and was upstairs with Ororo getting ready to go shopping.

"I'll get you a plate, just sit down and relax." Bobby went to the sideboard where there was still some food left from the mountains that had been made.

Because she had been the last to sit down, Jean was still eating along with Betsy who had slept late. Warren, Scott, and Alex were just drinking coffee and talking.

Not far from Betsy, Maggie set her bag down on the opposite end of the table as she didn't want to interrupt.

Apparently Scott didn't mind. He paused their conversation to say in a friendly manner, "You don't need to stay so far away, Maggie. Come on and join us, I don't bite."

"Oh really?" A mischievous expression on her face, Maggie couldn't help teasing. "Poor Jean. Bobby bites in _all _the right places."

A peal of laughter erupted from Betsy as both Bobby and Scott flushed, followed immediately by Alex's guffaw and Warren's low laugh.

Jean however started choking as vivid images filled her mind of things she had never wanted to know about Bobby. At least she knew he was definitely over Lorna, but she was going to have to remember to shield more tightly in Maggie's presence.

Rushing over, Maggie pounded on her back until Jean was breathing properly again, then gave her the fountain drink she'd brought for her. "Here you go. Take a big drink and you'll feel better."

Gratefully, Jean did just that. Normal now, she couldn't bring herself to continue eating. The sausage link on her plate was just too much of a visual and there was no way she could put her fork in it. With the image of a naked Bobby still in her mind, just the thought turned her stomach. Standing, she decided to escape upstairs to get ready herself. It wasn't that she didn't like Maggie, but she did find her a bit unsettling. Jean did snag the Dr. Pepper though.

Seeing her about to go, Maggie stopped her. "If you're finished, I brought desert. Got a whole bag of candy and snacks."

"Oh, uh, maybe later." Jean demurred.

"Some Kisses for you," Maggie wheedled, "Snickers for Ororo, also Heath, Rolos, a couple Butterfingers, M&M's in plain, peanut, and almond, Twinkies, Moonpies, Chocolate Cupcakes, and Hostess Swissrolls." She paused thinking. "And some lottery tickets for your boss, couldn't forget the guy in charge. I think that's everything."

Betsy looked a bit disappointed. "No SweetTarts?"

"Oh yeah, got some of those too." Maggie beamed at her. "Didn't think I'd forget, did you?"

"I'll just bring them with me." Unable to resist, while looking through the grocery bag Jean asked curiously, "Do you remember everything everyone buys?"

"Not really," Maggie shrugged, "but it's easy to see what regulars like. I might have paid a bit of extra attention since you're Bobby's friends."

"I see." She again thought it was a little scary, but refrained from saying so, and hurried out with her hands full.

Setting a full plate in front of Maggie, Bobby took the chair beside her and they both dug in. He was about to bring up the idea of a movie again, but Maggie's phone started ringing from inside her pocket. He waited and was surprised she made no move to answer it. "Maggie, don't you think you should answer that? It could be your mother."

"Since I know it's not you, then it probably is." She didn't stop eating, barely pausing between bites to talk. "She's been calling since I talked to her yesterday."

"You finally talked to your mum?" Betsy asked.

"Bobby tricked me into it."

"I didn't trick you," he protested, gesturing with his fork. "I just encouraged you."

Betsy brushed that aside. If he'd gotten Maggie to talk to her mother than it was most likely through trickery, no matter what he wanted to call it. She was a little proud of him for that actually. "And you're still avoiding her so it didn't go well, I suppose."

"I'm not completely sure, haven't accepted her calls." Her plate was getting dangerously empty, so she slowed down a bit. "But Janice Gaines does not give up, not a good quality in a lawyer - even one not currently practicing. She'll keep trying until I answer. Maybe I'll talk to her tonight."

The men had resumed their conversation and hadn't been paying attention, but when she mentioned her mother's name Warren took notice. "Excuse me, but did you say Janice Gaines and lawyer? Not the corporate attorney."

"Yeah, that's her," she confirmed. "She's really bummed I'm not following in her footsteps."

"Janice Gaines." Warren shook his head. "It really is a small world."

"You know Maggie's mum, darling?" Crossing her legs, Betsy leaned back to sip her tea. She didn't need to rush off since she had declined the invitation to go shopping. A little out of character, but she had decided to have a lazy day at home instead.

"Not personally, but anyone who reads the business section of the paper has heard of her. She was involved in the big Jamison case, also Jerring vs. Rand, McMillan vs. Fitzroy. Think she did some consulting for Tony Stark, and Emma Frost was going to see about putting her on retainer when she dropped out of sight. Most of that made the papers."

"Sorry, I just read the sports," Scott said. "I leave the business to you and Charles."

"Me too," Alex added.

"This is kinda cool. Your mom's famous, Maggie." Bobby exclaimed.

She just shrugged it off. "I wouldn't know, she's just Mom to us."

"What do you mean by 'she dropped out of sight'?" Betsy asked.

"No one really knows." Warren frowned. "She hasn't had another high-profile case in a couple years. It's like she just stopped."

"That's because she did, and we really wish she'd go back to work." Maggie informed them. "Mom said she felt like she'd missed out on our lives, which I guess she sorta did. Uncle Mark invested most of her money so Mom and Dad have enough to live off of and she decided to take a break for a few years. She's driving us crazy."

"If or when she decides to go back to work, Janice Gaines will have plenty of offers waiting for her." Warren picked up his coffee cup, thinking he might be one of the ones to make an offer. With Maggie being involved with Bobby, he could get an inside track and wouldn't it be nice to get to her before Emma.

"Thanks, I'll mention that to Dad next time he says he wishes she'd get out of the kitchen. Mom's trying to do the mother thing and we don't have the heart to tell her she can't cook." Her face brightened considerably at the next thought. "And I might be able to use it if she starts lecturing me again or threatens to sue someone. Mom's always doing that."

"Since you said you're not going to talk to her until tonight - which I'm holding you to," Bobby warned, "let's talk movies. How about that new Matt Damon film you wanted to see?"

"Sounds good, but the theaters don't open for a couple hours. I'll need more breakfast to tide me over until the popcorn." She gave him an innocent look. "You were planning to take me to lunch, right?"

"Would I forget to feed you?" Bobby asked indignantly. "Like popcorn would be enough to fill you up."

"Still hungry?" Alex asked a little surprised as he'd seen the plate Bobby had given her and it had been really full. "Eat as much as you want. We have KP and we wouldn't mind if there was nothing to put in the fridge."

"It'll be a chore." Maggie sighed dramatically. "But I'll do my best."

They couldn't help laughing.

Plans made for the afternoon and lots of food in her future, Maggie found it easy to ignore what Nicole had told her. But it stayed in the back of her mind, a shadow interfering in her enjoyment. She would find a way to fix things at work without involving her mother, just as she'd planned. She didn't know how yet, but she would.

Being here made her more determined. These were good people and didn't deserve to be discriminated against, even if it was just by a jerk at a convenience store. So she would do what she could, not only for her but for them too.

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
And the plot moves on! Do you sometimes forget there actually IS a plot? I do. 

Next chapter! Let's see... Fun, Maggie's mom, Charles, and ice-cream are the basics.

Okay, a little change in the posting schedule. Don't worry, it's a good thing. Next week is my birthday and I'll be posting 4 days in a row (schedule is on my bio). One of those days will be chapter 1 of "The Journey Home". So ch9 of "Ordinary People" will be out in two weeks like usual, butthe week after will be ch2 of Journey. Yes, I will be alternating weeks. This will give me time to finish the _next_ story and I'll be able to start posting it the week after I finish one or the other of OP or Journey. I suppose I could go to OP every week, then Journey every week after, but I thought this way would be better. If enough people tell me they would rather _wait_ to get Journey so as to get all of OP faster, I can do that. But I don't think it will happen once the first chapter is posted.

Last thing, a reminder to those who post anonymously, as in either not logged in or do not leave an email address. I can't respond that way. Don't think I don't appreciate the review, but I have no way to let you know that personally if the review is anonymous. Thank you all very very much for taking the time to review everyone!

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	9. Advice

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 9: Advice

"Oh my gosh, that was so much fun! I can't believe it." Maggie exclaimed. "You came up with the best idea."

"It was pretty fun, wasn't it? Haven't done that sort of thing in years." Bobby grinned. It wasn't strictly true but training sessions didn't compare. Then he grimaced. "Didn't turn out too well for me in the end, though."

"Poor baby. Did that six-year-old hurt you badly?" she sympathized. After the movie as a change of pace, they had wanted to do something more physical and less sexual. In the same complex as the movie theater there was a Lazertag place and they hadn't been able to resist. The kids in there were tough, they had almost been taken out fast. Bobby had proved to be a good shot and saved her, always her hero. But one little snot-nosed brat hadn't taken defeat well and kicked him. While Bobby had been doubled over clutching his shin, the kid had then punched him in the eye. It was now several very pretty colors. "At least his father paid you back our entrance fees so you're not out any money."

He brightened up. Nothing he liked better than a bargain, had to be the accountant in him. Bobby just wasn't sure it was worth the ribbing he would get from the team once they found out the source of his injuries. "That was something anyway."

"And the twelve-year-old's mom was grateful you took him out so quick. King of the place, indeed," she scoffed.

Bobby opened the door to the mansion, holding it open for her. It was late but they were both more energized than tired and feeling great after all the fun. He hadn't even scolded Maggie for leaving her phone off after the movie. How could she talk to her mother if she were teaching the brats who was boss? Besides which, she'd let him off the hook once for pushing her, he didn't want to press his luck again.

"Since I _know _you're hungry by now," Maggie gave him an innocent look that managed to be pitiful at the same time, and he continued, "how about once I change my clothes, I treat you to some homemade ice-cream?" The boy that had hit him had ended his attack by pouring his soda all over Bobby. "My cooking skill with a stove may be in question but no one doubts what I can do with an ice-cream maker. You've never had good ice-cream until you've had _mine_."

"Mmmm, ice-cream," Maggie said dreamily. "What kind?"

"Do you really care?" Bobby laughed when she shook her head vehemently. "Alright, kitchen in ten minutes."

She watched him lop up the stairs two at a time, stars in her eyes. Maggie couldn't remember ever having such a good time. Bobby was fun and sexy - more endearingly so because he didn't see it in himself - he didn't put on airs or try to impress her with anything but himself. He listened to her go on about her history books and her family. During the movie when she kept unconsciously trying to scratch her arm he'd come up with the idea to gently rub it himself, letting his fingertips get colder and colder until he'd numbed that particular area. It hadn't been a permanent solution, and she had to admit at first he had kinda freaked her out since he hadn't warned her before hand, but it had helped.

And she had known he wanted to remind her to call her mother again, or at least turn on her phone, but he hadn't. Unlike other people who nagged her about her mom, with Bobby she knew it was because he cared about _her_. It wasn't a game, or because mom was driving him crazy, he knew she wanted peace with her mother and was trying to help.

With that in mind, Maggie took her phone out of her pocket and went straight through the kitchen to the backyard for a little privacy.

* * *

...Interlude ... 

"_Hello_."

"That's a much nicer answer than last time, Trev. Would you get Mom for me?"

_"Um, Maggie..."_

"Is something wrong?"

_"No... not exactly. She, uh, said to tell you she doesn't want to talk to you right now."_

"Ha ha, very funny. Please get Mom for me."

_"I'm not kidding."_

"We're talking about Mom, you've got to be joking."

_"Maggie, I'm sorry. She saw the caller id and made me answer. She says to tell you she loves you too, but she's very disappointed in you and doesn't want to talk right now."_

"I... okay, I'll... I guess I'll call back in a couple days. Will you tell her that for me?"

_"Yeah. I'm really sorry."_

"It's not your fault. Talk to you later."

_"Bye."_

... End Interlude ...

* * *

The only light was from the kitchen windows, but it was enough to see. What she needed to anyway. Sitting on a bench at the edge of the patio, Maggie wasn't interested in the scenery. She didn't need to see her surroundings. What she was seeing was inside herself and she wasn't sure she liked it.

Her mother was a talker. She couldn't keep quiet, it wasn't in her. Maggie knew for her mother to _not _want to talk to her was BIG trouble. Not in a fearful way, but emotionally. She had hurt her. She hadn't meant to, but she had really hurt her mother's feelings for her to not want to talk to her.

Slow tears burned paths down her cheeks. Bobby would be looking for her by now, but Maggie couldn't make herself move. She considered her father tough and strong, but her mother was too. The woman was forthright, strong, very independent, and so stubborn as to make her Dad cuss a blue-streak. She had never thought she had the power to hurt her mom this much, never once considered it possible. She was so ashamed she didn't think she could face anyone.

"Excuse me, Miss. Are you alright? Do you need some help?"

Quickly wiping her eyes, Maggie looked up to see a man in a wheelchair only a few feet away. Now she was embarrassed on top of everything else. "Just a family... misunderstanding. I'll be fine."

"I see." He started to turn away, but stopped and invited gently. "I know you don't know me, but sometimes it's easier to tell your problems to a person you don't know, a neutral party so to speak."

"I don't think talking about it to you or anyone else would help." Maggie could feel more tears threatening. "I need to talk to my mom about it."

"You never know, I'm told I'm very easy to talk to - by some people anyway." Nodding reassuringly, he moved his chair a bit closer.

"Maybe..." She wiped her eyes again and started to scratch her arm but stopped just in time. What was one more person who knew when everyone else she cared about already did? Or would soon since she hadn't had a chance to tell Bobby about the latest phone call. "My mother is a lawyer, a real big-shot. She seems to have a dream that I would follow in her footstep, only be better. She just never thought to mention it until after I graduated High School."

"I suppose you had other plans."

"Not exactly, but I knew I didn't want to be a lawyer. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing _against _lawyers, but I've never wanted to _be _one. I have interests but still don't exactly know what I ultimately want to be."

Musingly, he suggested, "Perhaps your lack of decision, or ambition, prompted her to believe you would change your mind."

"That's exactly what she said, and that sooner or later I would stop fighting it and do what she could see was best for me. Whatever. I got a job at a convenience store, but for a while I also worked for my Aunt Sandy - Mom's best friend who's a lawyer too. I didn't tell Mom, though, because I didn't want to get her hopes up. But I hated it. I mean, I _really_ hated it. I was bored out of my mind!"

"Telling her might have been a better course of action."

"Well, eventually Aunt Sandy told her. It didn't help, Mom just said I hadn't found the right _kind _of law that was right for me. She nagged me forever, but I stayed at the QuickStop and followed my other interests." Maggie settled back against the bench. "Then about a year after I graduated she decided she had missed out on too much of our lives by working so much. So she quit her job, just stopped being a lawyer. She was there all the time. She went on and on about all the different types of law and how dynamic it was. My brother Carter heard so much that he's going to start law school this year. But she wasn't happy with that, she still wants _me_ to be a lawyer too."

"You've mentioned other interests several times, what are they?" He watched her intently, caught up in her explanation.

"History. I know I don't look like the type, but I find it fascinating." She shrugged. "I'm not sure why, I just do."

"I've always found it so as well." He had never thought there was a particular type, being of the opinion there were no real stereotypes. "Have you shared this interest with your mother?"

"Not exactly. When I tried she brushed it aside, said it would be a good minor but I shouldn't concentrate on it." She smiled at a sweet memory, her expression softening. "My brother Josh, he's interested in everything and we used to talk about it. He can't wait to go to college. He's really smart. Josh is the one who suggested that I go to college to study history and decide what I want to do with it later. Dad thought it was a good idea, too."

"Your brother does sound exceptional. I take it your mother didn't like the idea?"

"Not one little bit. She flat out refused to pay for it when I wouldn't consider law, so I didn't go. This was a year ago, and I thought about it a long time. Last winter, I decided I didn't need her help and I would go to college anyway and do what I wanted to. I didn't make a secret of it. I planned and I checked out several different places until I decided to go to the local college here."

"I understand it has a very good history department. I'm sure you'll like it."

"I think so, too. But after that every family meal turned into a lecture, every bit of time spent with her was the same thing. I moved here almost two months ago and still every time I talked to my Mom she lectured me about coming home and going to law school. I got that I wouldn't talk to her on the phone unless I felt like I had to. I love her, I really do, but I couldn't stand the lectures and pressure anymore." Maggie sighed. Talking about it brought back all her frustration. "Then my boyfriend - Bobby - he tricked me into talking to her because I've been under some stress which caused me to break out in a rash. He said I should tell her how I feel about her but not give her a chance to lecture me so we could 'open the lines of communication'."

"_Bobby _said that?" His eyes went a little wide.

His voice was so incredulous, Maggie got defensive. "Yeah, and it sounded like good advice."

"I should hope so," he muttered. "It's the same advice I gave him some time ago in dealing with _his_ father."

"Oh." She relaxed again and continued. "Well, I did it, but Mom didn't get the message right away and I ended by hanging up on her. I was afraid she was going to lecture me again so I didn't answer the phone when she called last night and today." Tears started to fall again and Maggie tried to hold them back. "And I just tried to talk to her and she wouldn't speak to me. My brother Trevor said she's disappointed in me and wouldn't take the phone."

Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. "It's possible she doesn't mean she's disappointed by you not going to law school as that is an old argument. She might be hurt that you wouldn't accept her calls."

"But I've done that before and she didn't get mad or anything." Maggie wailed. "She won't talk to me and my mother always has something to say. Always!"

"I would venture to say the circumstances were somewhat different. How forceful have you been in the past when speaking to her?"

"Not very, I guess," she admitted, sniffling. "Mom... she's a very strong person. It's hard to argue with her. She's usually totally sure she's right and knows exactly what to say. That's what makes her a good lawyer."

"So, she's not used to you completely bypassing the cycle you have fallen into. Even after you left home, you carried that cycle on. By not allowing her to give her speech you have taken control. It could be considered a good first step, but she may not have known how to deal with the change." He patted her hand. "Did you set a time for when you would call back?"

"I told my brother in a couple days," she answered uncertainly.

"That's good. You must hold to that and carry on from there. From all you've said, your mother may never be at ease with your choices but given time may be able to get past her own wants for you to enable you both to have a fuller relationship." He smiled wryly. "Which is precisely what I told Bobby about his father."

"Well, I know that didn't work out. Sorry, but it doesn't really make me feel better." Maggie offered him back the handkerchief, now thoroughly wet. She did smile at him, signaling that the advice may not have improved her mood but letting out her feelings hadn't hurt.

"The best advice does not always work. Bobby started boarding at school when he was young so doesn't have as strong a relationship with his father. Also, his father is very... intractable about certain things beyond Bobby's control." He hesitated unsure of what she knew and not wanting to reveal something that wasn't his right. "He was unable to get beyond Bobby's... differences."

"You mean he couldn't handle that Bobby's a mutant?" Maggie was shocked. She knew Bobby and his father didn't get along, which causeda strain on his relationship with his mother too, but he'd never told her _that _was the reason. It made the situation with her mother sound like it had a much better chance.

"Hey, Charles! Have you seen-" Alex's eyes adjusted and he was able to see who else was outside. "Oh, there you are, Maggie! Bobby's been looking all over for you."

"You're Charles Xavier?" Maggie blinked at him. "I thought you'd be older. No offense."

"None taken. I look young for my age." Charles was also used to that reaction. A full body transplant did wonders for a person's looks. "It's been a pleasure talking to you. I hope you work things out with your mother."

He stayed outside a few moments while she hurried in to reassure Bobby. Looking at the night sky, he felt a sense of fulfillment. He wasn't sure he had actually helped Maggie, but just knowing Bobby had listened to his advice and passed it on to someone else had more than made his evening complete.

* * *

"What's wrong?" Bobby demanded as soon as he saw Maggie.

"I'll tell you about it later," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him for the hug she desperately needed.

"Maggie..." But he saw the way she shifted her eyes to indicate the audience consisting of Alex, Warren, Jean, Ororo, Remy, Betsy, and, in the back of the room, Lorna. Bobby knew right away she wouldn't want to air any problems in front of them and stifled his impatient concern. He'd been looking for her for a good fifteen minutes once he'd found out she _wasn't_ with Betsy as he'd assumed when she also _wasn't_ in the kitchen. "I finished the ice-cream."

"Well then, now Maggie is here, are you going to share?" Jean asked brightly.

"Better make de right decision, neh?" Remy said in mock seriousness. "De femmes 'round here, dey get mean 'bout ice-cream. Don' forget Roguey. She get mad you share wit' dem an' not her jus' 'cause she not leave de movie."

"Not to worry." Bobby deadpanned as he pulled Maggie away from the path to the freezer where the treat was stashed to lean against the counter, his arms still around her. "I made plenty."

That was all the X-Women needed to know. They immediately got out bowls and spoons. Then had them filled to almost overflowing in a blink. On their way back to their movie in less than three minutes, Ororo and Jean were careful to get Lorna out of harm's way before she opened her mouth. Remy did the same, filling bowls for both himself and Rogue, but at a slower pace than the frenzy the women had exhibited.

"Hope they left enough for everyone else." Alex joked. "Charles is still outside, and Scott will be here in a few minutes. He had some, uh, _school_ business to take care of."

"Good thing Logan left for his usual entertainment or we might not get any at all." Warren agreed.

"I said I made plenty, and I meant it. I know how they are. Got some put aside." Bobby winked at Maggie. "Couldn't chance my girl going without, now could I?"

"Isn't he the best?" Maggie sighed, watching her sweetie get another container out of the freezer.

"I have to say he's not my type, but whatever makes you happy," Warren said with a straight face. He let out a deep breath. "Speaking of making someone happy, I better get in there or Betsy will make me _un_happy. I don't understand what they see in 'Casa Blanca' myself, but I'm supposed to keep her company while she watches it."

By this time Bobby was filling two bowls for him and Maggie, Alex signaling he would wait for Scott. Maggie was watching with rapt attention. She stopped long enough to give Warren a surprised look. "Aren't you going to get some ice-cream?"

"Not right now." He smiled at her, backing out the door. "Someone was kind enough to bring some candy this morning and I happened to keep some of it out of Ororo's greedy hands."

Watching Maggie carefully to be sure he was putting on enough chocolate sauce, Bobby brought the bowls to the table. Maggie took a chair and instantly dug-in.

"I didn't think to ask if you wanted to continue the game or join them for the movie," he remarked, taking a bite.

"Can't work the controls, hold the bowl, and eat all at the same time." Maggie grinned around the spoon. "And I don't care for 'Casa Blanca' either."

"I'm positive Bobby is very relieved to hear that," Charles said, opening the screen door. "Did I take too long? Please tell me there's some left."

"Plenty," Bobby, Alex, and Maggie said as one.

Alex volunteered. "I'll get it for you."

"Thank you." Charles peered at Maggie's bowl. "What kind is it this time?"

"Cinnamon-walnut." Sheresisted the urge to hold it protectively. "It's really good, too."

He nodded. "Bobby's always is."

"Told ya so," Bobby whispered in her ear, his breath tickling and making her giggle.

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
I know what you're thinking! You're thinking "Man, I can't believe Dizi was late! She promised she'd post this chapter 2 days ago!" And I say to you, it's not my fault! I tried to post many many times! The site wouldn't let me upload. So, it's a little late, but here. 

Was it worth it? Did you smile? I did when I read over it. I know, I'm so bad, but I try to write what I would like myself. I am happy to say that most of the time I'm successful.

Next chapter: The night is not over! A few surprises coming both Maggie and Bobby's way, and more ice-cream for all! That's in two weeks (okay, twelve days).

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	10. All in the Family

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 10: All in the Family

"Ah, if you would like to be alone, I'm sure I can take my ice-cream to my suite." Charles offered, beginning to feel uncomfortable. To him, Maggie's giggle sounded like an indication they might prefer some privacy.

"Well, it's your place, isn't it? If anyone should leave it would be us." Maggie said, and added teasingly, "I promise, no matter how tempting it might be, I won't finish my ice-cream and start nibbling on Bobby in front of you. Unless you want me to, but I'll only go so far with an audience."

"I'll take you at your word and assure you such entertainment will not be necessary." Relief and laughter warred inside him, but Charles managed to hold both back. Instead, he asked with a frown, "Robert, what happened to your eye?"

"Don't stop there, Charles." Grinning madly, Alex set a bowl of ice-cream on the table - minus the 'extras' Maggie had on hers, knowing Charles liked his plain. "Ask him about his shin and why he had to change clothes too."

"I don't want to talk about it," Bobby muttered. He knew Charles wouldn't be as bad as everyone else, but he'd already explained once about the trials of Lazertag and didn't want to do it again. He wasn't sure he'd ever live down getting knocked around by a six-year-old after having fought Apocalypse, Magneto, and Sentinels with sometimes only a scratch. The other X-types would eat off this for years. It didn't help that if it had been anyone else he would act the same.

"Perhaps later, then." Charles let him delay, knowing he'd get the details before morning. "Maggie... you don't mind that I call you that?"

"Well, I've been called all kinds of things. Bobby has a few he likes to throw out at certain personal moments. Being as we don't know each other well enough for you to call me any of those - sorry, but you're really not my type - I'd have to say 'Maggie' is the best which I'll answer to." She didn't care how nice he'd been to her, Maggie wasn't having anyone else call her 'Margaret'. Dave was bad enough.

"Ah, okay. Hmm." Charles was beginning to understand why Jean had said she liked but avoided Maggie. In some ways she was refreshing, but in others... Well, he had learned to live with many things over the years. It wasn't as though she were moving in. "Maggie-"

The interior door swung open with a bang and Scott almost running. He stopped in his tracks staring at them. "It's all gone, isn't it? I missed out."

Bobby resisted the urge to roll his eyes, Maggie laughed while putting another bite in her mouth, but Alex did roll his eyes. "Chill, big bro. I left ours in the freezer. Just grab 'em and a couple spoons."

Scott wasted no time following his instructions. "Great, last time I didn't get any."

"You said you enjoy history." Charles tried again, once everyone was settled at the small table which was now overly full. "Which period?"

"I'm pretty much into it all, but recently I've been reading about the American Revolution." Maggie licked her spoon. She would never have chosen to put cinnamon in ice-cream, but it was good. Not that she was ever really picky about her food.

"Some great battles then," Scott enthused. "The strategies used were revolutionary themselves at the time."

"I'm actually more interested in the people behind it all. They were amazing. I didn't pay much attention to the battles." She paused, self-conscious. "We can change the subject if you like."

"Hey, Maggie, don't turn shy now," Bobby chided. "I might not be into that sort of thing, but I get that you are. They're asking, so they're interested."

"Lots of people are interested in history," Alex said. "Look at all those people who do re-enactments."

"Well, that's just it. Most are into the battles and that's only a small part of it to me. I'm a people person," Maggie explained.

"I'm an archaeologist, we look for how past societies lived their everyday lives," Alex reminded them. "I understand."

"So you know what I mean." Having scraped as much as she could out of the bowl, Maggie settled back to talk about her favorite subject. It wasn't often she did with someone else that was interested. "The battles affected the people, true, but why did they decide to fight in the first place?"

"Wait! Wait! I know this one!" Bobby exclaimed. "Taxes!"

"Everyone knows _that_," Scott dismissed.

"I don't think that's what she meant," Charles inserted.

"Yeah, taxes were part of it, but not what I was getting at," Maggie agreed. "These were men fighting against overwhelming odds, putting their lives and that of their families on the line. Why?"

"For what was right," Charles said simply, understanding immediately. It was one of the main themes behind his Dream.

"Exactly! For what was right!" Maggie grinned at him, enthusiastically expounding her point, "To give their children a life free of oppression as they felt they had a God given right to. They went against the government their fathers had felt loyalty towards, those they were taught to believe in. Some had been soldiers, like George Washington, but the majority weren't. They were ordinary men who had lived with injustice, seen it day in and day out, and couldn't take it anymore. They had families they knew might suffer, but fought anyway. How many people today see crime or injustice but don't step forward? These men did. They were the superheros of their time. They were cool." She sighed. "I think that's awesome."

"I never thought about it that way." Scott stared at her, ice-cream dripping off his spoon. He too could see the similarities in the reason they fought and the meaning behind the X-Men.

"You said you didn't know what you wanted to do with your life when we spoke outside. With your enthusiasm, you would make an excellent teacher," Charles suggested.

"You're more interesting than any of the teachers I had," Alex complimented. "And prettier too."

"I already suggested it, guys," Bobby informed them. "I was shot down."

"Ugh, no thank you." Maggie wrinkled her nose. "Tell a bunch of kids I think Ben Franklin and George Washington were on a level of the F.F. and Avengers? I don't think so. They'd laugh for sure."

"You may be selling yourself short, but it would be your decision." Charles didn't want to push, only to plant the idea. She had gotten pressure enough from her mother. "It's something to think about."

Maggie was thinking, but not about becoming a teacher. Her future after college was still nebulous and currently she just wanted to learn more. What she was thinking about was the point she had made.

Her problems at the store weren't criminal but it was injustice. She had been telling herself she would do something about it but hadn't yet. She hadn't stood up. She hadn't taken a stand and fought for what was right, even on her small scale. She didn't want to overthrow a government, not even the company, just Dave and those supporting him.

It was time for more than intentions. She'd known what needed to be done. It was time to do it. No matter how uncool.

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"Hi!"

_"Maggie, Mom still doesn't want to talk to you."_

"Okay, Trev. I'm not calling for Mom. Could you get Josh for me?"

_"What? I'm not good enough to talk to?"_

"Trevor, you're wonderful. A prince among brothers. I love you more than words can express. Now, would you get Josh?"

_"He's all the way down in the basement."_

"Pleeeeease?"

_"Fine."_

_"Hi, Maggie! I didn't think you'd call again so soon."_

"Neither did I, Josh. Are you working on anything important right now?"

_"Not really. I just found an article online about-"_

"Yeah, okay. I need you to do me a favor."

_"What kind of favor?"_

"Can you do a search for me? I need some email addresses."

_"Sure, but what do you want them for?"_

"So I can stand up for what's right."

_"Tell me everything, and I do mean everything..."_

... End Interlude ...

* * *

"Bobby, did Maggie leave?" Jean was bringing in the dirty dishes since the movie was over. She and Lorna had been a bit chagrined Scott and Alex hadn't joined them. The men had cited the need for Alex to pack as they were leaving tomorrow, and of course Scott had to help. Any other time they would have waited until the last minute.

"No, she's outside talking to her brother." Bobby replied, glancing out the back door. They usually left the big door open and let the evening air come through the screen door, leaving the lights off so as not to attract bugs. Because the lights were on for Maggie, he would have told Jean she was out there anyway if she hadn't asked. Though he'd much rather she just deposit the dishes in the sink and go.

Every so often he was able to hear something Maggie said. It wasn't enough to know what the conversation was about but more than enough to keep him curious. Maggie would most likely tell him what was said, so he didn't think of it as eavesdropping. But he wanted to know _now_. She had looked so serious when she said she needed to call Josh, like it was more than the usual...

"Okay." Jean lowered her voice. "Just a heads-up, Scott's planning a mission to start in a couple days."

He groaned. "This has got to stop. He can't pull a mission out of the hat because he doesn't like paperwork."

"This one is legitimate," she promised. "There's a half-way house and orphanage for mutants in Virginia. Some of the kids there are a little young. You know how he feels about orphans. Scott wants to make sure they're really helping those children and not just segregating them."

"How long does he expect we'll be gone?" This one sounded like it could be more positive than most. _If _the kids weren't being mistreated. They had stumbled upon something similar before and it had turned out the children were little more than science experiments. They had all been under the age of twelve. It had been heartbreaking.

"Two days, if it goes well. If not..." She shook her head remembering the same incident. They both knew if the children were being abused they could be gone for several days at least. "Not everyone is going. You, me, Scott, and Kurt, because we're the best with children. The others will be on standby."

"Salutations!" Hank barreled in, beaming at them. They couldn't help smiling back. In one of his bright Hawaiian shirts and loose white trunks, his unkempt fur sticking out in all directions, he was a funny sight. "I have risen from my subterranean lair on a quest for creamy goodness. Please save me from throws of bereavement by not informing me they have all been consumed."

"We got some, pal. Maggie brought some especially for you." Bobby grinned remembering how she had slapped his hand telling him the rest were for 'Twinkie Dude'. "They're hidden at the top of the cabinet over there. There might be some ice-cream left too."

"My, how very civilized of her, how polite, how-" Hank stopped, blinking at a sudden thought. "Who is Maggie?"

"Hank, you really gotta get out of the lab more!" Bobby exclaimed, rolling his eyes. Covering her mouth to suppress a laugh, Jean couldn't help remembering the conversation a week before. "Maggie is-"

"Bobby, guess what!" The object of their conversation rushed in, letting the screen door slam behind her.

"This is Maggie." Bobby stood up and gestured to his best friend. "Babe, you've heard me talk about Hank."

But he might as well have been talking to air. Both Maggie and Hank had frozen in place, staring at each other. Maggie with her mouth falling open and Hank stopped in the middle of climbing on top of the counter in search of his preferred his treat, embarrassed to be receiving the usual reaction in such a position.

_'Bobby_!' Jean shouted at him telepathically. '_Didn't you warn _either _of them_!'

_'I forgot_!' he projected back. "Um, Maggie? Remember when you said you knew the school was 'mutant-friendly'? I think we should have that talk now."

She continued staring at Hank who had slowly climbed down and was starting to fidget.

"Maggie?" Bobby tried to get her attention without success. He was starting to feel bad for his friend and beginning to think she wasn't as open-minded as he'd thought.

Frantically, Jean mentally contacted Scott to come control the situation.

After a long silence, Maggie took a hesitant step forward and breathed, "Oh my goodness."

Having felt the sudden agitation, Charles hurriedly came to investigate. He saw Maggie, staring at Hank and slowly moving toward him. He was afraid he knew what was going on. "Is there a problem?"

"Uh..." Bobby looked at Charles helplessly, unsure what to do.

Growing more nervous by the second, very tired of things like this happening to him, Hank decided to forgo his Twinkies. "Perhaps I should return to my laboratory until your guest has departed, Robert."

Unfortunately for him, Scott ran in, closely followed by Alex, Betsy, and Lorna, effectively blocking his exit. Clearly heard, Lorna muttered, "Great. She's mutant-phobic."

Just as they all got inside, Maggie took the last couple steps quickly, reached out, and jerked a tuft of fur on Hank's arm.

"Young woman!" He exclaimed indignantly, rubbing his arm. "That was highly unnecessary!"

"OH MY GOODNESS!" Maggie shouted, causing him to cover his ears. "YOU'RE REAL!"

"Of course, I am real." Hank was still very much indignant. "Your demonstration was not needed to prove that theory."

"You're really him!" She continued excitedly, nearly jumping out of her skin. "You're Henry McCoy!"

"Yes, of course-" Hank stopped, now with his mouth hanging open, as he along with everyone else realized what she said and collectively looking at Maggie in wonder.

"Josh is going to just DIE! Can I have your autograph? Oh, please, please, please." She turned to Bobby frantically. "Where's my bag? I need my bag! I can't believe this! WHERE'S MY BAG?"

Without a word, Bobby jumped, going to the corner where her bookbag had been left to bring it over.

"Oh, pleeeeaase sign his picture!" Maggie went back to begging. "Josh loves you! You're all he talks about! He's your biggest fan! He's going to simply DIE from shock!"

"My dear," Charles began, trying to take in the sudden turn of events. "Are you sure you have the correct individual?"

"Dr. Henry McCoy, former Avenger. Didn't you hear me? He's all over Josh's room!" she said incredulously, and turned to Hank again. "You're an inspiration and Josh wants to be just like you! He's going to just-"

"Die?" Betsy said in amusement.

"Yes!" Maggie was digging in her bag now, uncaringly dropping items on the floor in her haste.

"He wants to be a superhero?" Scott asked, confused.

"No, of course not." Maggie said it as though the idea was insane.

"Ah," Bobby was no less confused and he listened to Maggie talk about her family all the time, "he wants to be big, blue, and furry?"

"No! He wants to be a scientist at the top of his field. I told you, he's a genius." Maggie was slowly calming down, though still excited. "Maybe we should have had that talk. Here it is!" Standing so fast she almost bumped into Jean - who had been too surprised to say anything - and brandished the snapshot, holding it out to Hank.

Everyone crowded around him to look. The boy in the photo was young, obviously a teenager. He was laying on the grass in someone's backyard, leaning back on his elbows, a large smile on his face. It was a smile that clearly showed his elongated canines. He had on shorts and a tshirt, showing off the short brown fur covering his entire body. Lime-green eyes peered through shoulder length blond hair, the only visible trait similar to Maggie.

"That was last summer," she explained. "He's gotten a little taller and Mom made him cut his hair. He really should be in college but hasn't found one that will accept him yet."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Bobby demanded, so relieved he couldn't stand it.

"Me? You didn't tell _me _about _him_!" She pointed at Hank still studying the picture.

"I talk about Hank all the time!"

"Well, I talk about Josh all the time, too." But Maggie explained further because she knew he would understand. "Not all mutants accept the ones who look different. He's been burned that way, and I guess we've all gotten that we don't talk about it."

"We know what you mean." Scott smiled at her, happy there wasn't a real problem. Hank didn't need another 'incident'. At Charles nod, he started ushering the others out so the three could be private.

"You still could have told me," Bobby muttered, put out she'd kept something like this from him.

"If you being a mutant didn't matter, why would I think Josh being one would?" She nodded to Hank, bending down to put her things back in her backpack. "You didn't tell me you lived with someone famous."

"He's my _friend_."

"Well, he's my _brother_."

"You say he wants to dedicate himself to science?" Hank interrupted, emerging from his contemplations. A fan. He had an actual fan. Nothing like this had ever happened to him and he found he liked the idea very much. Bobby's new girlfriend had been correct in her statement about the way even most mutants reacted to those with physical mutations. Previously, only Jenny had not reacted in a negative manner to him. Now he learned someone he had never met was looking up to him. It boggled his admittedly huge mind.

"Oh yeah. Dad cleared out the basement so he could have a make-shift lab and Josh practically lives down there." Maggie rolled her eyes. "We have to drag him up for meals."

Bobby snorted. "Sounds like someone I know. Josh picked the right guy to worship."

"Science is a demanding mistress." Hank said distractedly. A fan. He had a fan. "Do you mind if I copy this?"

"Sure! I have more if you want to see them." He made a positive response and Maggie bent down to her backpack again.

But Hank was already leaving the room after gaining her permission, having not really paid attention to it. He had completely forgotten about his Twinkies as ideas flowed through his brain. A boy with potential could not be allowed to be confined to a basement laboratory. He needed to be with those who would understand him, of which he did not entirely mean other mutants. However, he was most eager at the moment to copy and enlarge the picture. Perhaps several copies, one for his desk in the lab, one for his room, one to send to his mother...

In bemusement, she watched him leave and zipped her bag, saying uncertainly to Bobby, "He is going to sign it, right?"

"I think you can count on him doing more than that," came his response. Bobby couldn't think of anyone else who deserved something like this more than Hank. He was surprised the man hadn't demanded Josh's phone number and address, then suggested a road trip.

"Good." Maggie put her arm around Bobby's waist. "You know, that story about the green hair dye takes on a whole new meaning now I've really met your friend."

"He looked like the Jolly Green Giant. Remind me later to show you the pictures. It was a Kodak moment." One deserving to be preserved for posterity but kept in his special hiding place.

"You know, if you ever meet my family, you just racked up big-time points by association." She thought of how her Dad and Josh would both love him just for his friend. "As the saying goes, it's all about who you know."

"Lucky me, I know some of the best." Sighing, he tightened his arms around her. "I suppose you have to go home, huh?"

"It is kinda late." With her eyes full of hope and not a little lust, Maggie invited, "Can you come with me? Stay the night?"

"I can't." Bobby almost groaned aloud when her hands started wandering over his chest. He didn't want to tempt fate and miss another Danger Room session, and there would be a meeting about the planned mission, but he really didn't want to disappoint Maggie either.

As though she knew what they were talking about - which she did because she'd been unashamedly listening in - Betsy popped her head around the door, "I'm sure, due to the time, no one would object to Maggie spending the night." She winked at them. "And if they do you might just ignore it, hmm? Nothing they could do after the fact. Night, dearies."

They looked at each other, slow smiles blooming on both their faces. Then rushed to the door, fighting to get through, Bobby shouting, "Race ya!"

This was one game they both won, but Bobby made it to his bedroom first.

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
Okay, I confess, the majority of this chapter was part of the original idea I had from the very beginning and I had to wait all this time before I got to where it would fit! Oh the story and plot and all that were there but this scene I could see very clearly. I sincerely hope I did justice to my vision and you can see it as clearly as I did.

Next chapter! Meetings, pie, phone calls, and more!

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Diz


	11. Plans for the Road

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 11: Plans for the Road

Wearing a pair of Bobby's boxers with little smiley faces all over it and a baby tee of Betsy's saying 'kiss me', Maggie unconsciously rubbed her arm while tiptoeing into the kitchen for a snack. She'd been up for hours and the bowl of cereal and glass of juice Bobby had brought her hadn't lasted as long as she'd hoped. In a place this big, surely no one would care if she scrounged a bit.

She made it to the refrigerator and was reaching for the handle when 'Mr. Grumpy' spoke. "Damn, suppose yer gonna want some o' this."

Having not seen him in the corner of the breakfast nook and thinking she was alone, Maggie thought her heart would stop she was so surprised. Not surprised enough not to see the pie he had a fork poised to eat. A whole cherry pie. Mmmm. "I could eat. Got another hidden somewhere?"

"Yeah, let me pull it outta my pocket. Grab a plate." Logan scowled at her, but she thought saw a twinkle in his eyes. "And refill my coffee while yer at it."

"Do I look like a waitress?" Hands on her hips, Maggie scowled right back.

"Ya want some pie?" He raised a brow.

It looked homemade. After mentally licking her lips, she went to the coffee pot. "Black?"

"Girlie, I'm a real man. Whadda ya think?"

She brought the plate and a fork, setting them on the table before refilling his cup. After he placed a measly third on her plate and selfishly kept the rest for himself, they both ate the first bite with a sigh of pleasure. Maggie with perhaps a little more gusto since if someone got upset their pie was gone she could blame _him_. Yep, things were looking up.

"So, how come you're not in the meeting?" Bobby had left her to her own devices for over an hour now because of some school related meeting. "Thought everybody would be there."

"Nah, I'm good at gettin' outta 'em or sneakin' away. Only the ones Scotty could rope inta it are there an' the ones going on the mis-, uh, trip." He recovered. Maggie might have an idea they were all mutants but not that they were X-Men. "Kurt brung this with 'im when he come in. Seems Jenny did some bakin' last night. Wait 'til he brings out the cookies. Ya ain't lived 'til ya had Jenny's oatmeal-raisin."

"You guys really live it up out here. Homemade ice-cream last night, pie this morning, cookies later. Feel sorry for my family, they have something rock hard which is supposed to be banana bread." Shaking her head in mock despair, Maggie shoved another bite in her mouth.

Logan's perpetual scowl deepened. "Bobby made ice-cream? Dammit! They waited 'til I was gone!"

"Sorry." Shrugging unrepentantly, Maggie hid a smile. "It was good. Too bad none's left to go with the pie. It was cinnamon-walnut and would have been great with the little bit of cinnamon I'm tasting in this crust."

"Jus' fer that, I'm eating all the cookies." He gave her a hard look.

"Oh, I don't think that'll happen." Her reply was very confident.

"Oh no?" His was doubtful.

"They like me and I'm a guest." She didn't suppress the smug smile this time.

"Huh." Since it was true, there was nothing else to say to that. "Noticed ya missed the send-off. Lorna an' Alex left, ya musta slept in."

"Well, we were in bed but not _sleeping_." They'd been playing DB3 again at that point, but she wasn't going to say that. "Too bad. I liked Alex okay."

"He's got his moments." Logan knew what they'd been doing, also what they'd been doing most of the night. Which hadn't been playing a _video _game, though games had been involved from all he'd heard. He was pretty sure they had affected the telepaths in the place since Bobby and Maggie weren't the only ones _busy _most of the night. It had sounded like One-Eye was getting a workout and Wings wasn't walking straight yet - though that wasn't unusual with Warren and Betsy.

"Do you think they'll be much longer?" Maggie looked at the clock on the wall. Maybe it hadn't actually been more than an hour. It just felt like it.

"Maybe, depends how much Scotty feels like talkin'." Logan too looked at the clock, making a quick judgement. "Least long enough fer ya to wash the dishes ta hide the evidence."

"Now I'm a dishwasher?" Maggie demanded incredulously.

"Hey, I stole the pie."

"Fair enough."

* * *

"Am I boring you, Bobby?" Scott asked sarcastically, after the other man yawned yet again.

"I'm a little sleepy," he admitted, stupid smile in place as it had been all morning. All night too, now he thought about it. "But yeah, you are."

"Maybe if you had _slept _last night you wouldn't be so tired," Jean muttered. If Maggie was going to be staying over regularly, she was going to talk to Charles about shielding Bobby's room. Not right away though, because she hadn't minded the results of the psychic leakage. Maybe she wouldn't say anything afterall.

"Look, Bobby, its great you have a girlfriend and I like Maggie, but this is important." Scott was heating up to blister him good. He hadn't gotten a lot of sleep either and would much rather have gone back to bed himself. Preferably with his wife.

"Scott, you don't need to go on about it." Bobby had had enough. They weren't new to this kind of thing. "All we care about is that it's a legitimate mission. It is. We're cool. Let's move on."

"For once, I agree. Since you don't need me, I'm going to Worthington Enterprises. During the night, we had a security breach and I need to check it out." Seeing Scott about to speak, Warren held up both hands in defeat. "Yes, I will keep the communicator turned on and on my person at all times."

"Is something wrong, darling?" Betsy frowned in concern. "'Security breach' sounds bad."

"I don't think it's very serious but it needs to be looked into. My CEO says there's something I need to see." Even though he knew the answer, Warren invited, "Want to come with me?"

"Miss the chance to troll around to the shops in a limosine?" She scoffed. "Of course, I'm coming."

Quiet until now but willing to get into the swing of the conversation, Remy spoke up, issuing an invitation of his own. "Dere a new club opening tonight. How 'bout we show dem what party animals we be, cherie?"

"We'll see if yah can keep up with me, Gumbo," Rogue playfully sneered back.

"Kurt, Jenny is working tomorrow, is she not?" Ororo asked softly. "Perhaps, she will need assistance watching Zelig while you are gone?"

"Ja, ve vould appreciate zat." Tail lashing against his chair, Kurt was relieved since he had been going to ask Remy and Rogue but they would be resting after a night out - and probably hung-over as well.

Shaking his head as though wondering why the majority of his meetings seemed to end up this way, Scott leaned back in his seat. "Fine, someone let Hank know what's going on and meeting adjourned."

That was all that needed to be said for everyone to scamper off. Once they were gone, Jean rose and went behind Scott. Running a hand across his strong shoulders seductively, she leaned down to let her breath tickle his neck. "You're not fooling me. You let them take control because you were tired of being here too."

"Do you think any of them noticed?" He asked with a wry look in the direction they'd gone. But Scott knew better, they never realized it.

"I don't think I care if they did." Her arms came around his neck, hands sliding down his chest in a slow caress. "Why don't you think a little louder about all the things you'd like to do during our 'nap'? Then we'll lock the door and do them right here. Just like you were dreaming about before you lit into Bobby."

* * *

... Interlude ... 

_"Hi, Maggie."_

"Josh! What's up?"

_"Just thought I'd let you know I took care of your problem."_

"What! You were just supposed to get some addresses for me!"

_"That didn't take long, about twenty minutes. Since I was on the computer anyway, I wrote the emails for you."_

"But-but... I wasn't even sure what I wanted to say!"

_"I probably said it better than you would have anyway."_

"That's just wrong! I wanted to do it myself when the time was right."

_"The time IS right or you wouldn't have asked for my help. I just took it a step further."_

"Several steps. You've been hanging with Mom too long. Maybe Trevor too."

_"I live in the same house as them and we share a common genetic make-up. Similarities are bound to occur."_

"You need to get out more."

_"Just say 'thank you' and move on."_

"I'm not happy about this."

_"You will be. Now you don't have to work up the courage to do it. All done."_

"That sarcastic tone is definitely Trevor's."

_"It comes to me naturally sometimes. Remember the genetics. Gotta go. Talk to you later."_

"Wait! I was going to call you anyway. You'll just _DIE _when I tell you who I met last night..."

... End Interlude ...

* * *

Having finished the dishes - Logan had run off as soon as the last crumb was gone - and even put them away, Maggie was just about to head back to Bobby's room to wait for him when someone else found her.

"Excuse me, Miss."

"That's 'Maggie'." She beamed at Hank, still awed that she was actually talking to him. "You say 'Miss' and I start looking around for someone else."

"Just so. Maggie." Hank held out the picture of her brother. "I would like to vocalize my gratitude for your generosity."

"Ah, sure." It ran through her mind that he might not know how silly he sounded, but she wasn't going to be the one to tell him. "I told Josh about you a few minutes ago. I thought he'd pass out he was so excited."

"To learn of a relative meeting someone a young man feels an affinity towards can be a significant occasion. I have experienced such myself, although I was in the opposite position. There is nothing like knowing there are others who feel as you do." He hesitated. "Would your parents be adverse to me making more direct contact with young Joshua?"

It took Maggie a moment to completely understand him. "You're kidding, right? What would you prefer: email, phone number, or address?"

"If they would be inclined to accept the possibility of him meeting me, all of the above would be most kind."

"Yeah, right. Who do you think told him about you in the first place? It wasn't being a mutant that got him down but knowing he probably wouldn't be accepted in the scientific world. Mom had her assistant do some research, he found out about you, she passed it all on to Dad, and he did the rest." Maggie put her photo in her bag and pulled out a notepad and gel pen. "Just give me a minute to write it all out."

"While you are doing so, would you mind divulging the location of my favored delectable creamy confections otherwise known as Twinkies?" His stomach rumbled at the thought of them. "I seem to have foregone food for too long."

And that was how Bobby found them. Hank with a pile of Twinkies in front of him eating happily and Maggie carefully writing out all the information. Her penmanship wasn't the best and she was concentrating on it, not wanting there to be any misunderstandings.

Bobby almost sighed when Maggie lifted a hand to rub not her arm but just below the back of her neck. A new rash had started forming there, which he'd discovered during the night, but this was the first time he'd seen her rub it. Maggie had warned him the rashes would get worse before they'd get better but Bobby had hoped his distractions would have helped. One thing he was grateful for was that she always rubbed instead of scratching them bloody, even when it was done unconsciously.

Taking Maggie's hand away from her neck and teasingly grabbing her throat, he let his thumb get cold just short of icy and surreptitiously rubbed the area himself to numb it. She shuddered interestingly, without protesting, while he joked to Hank, "I see you're making time with my girl."

"I am positive you do not deserve such charming and breathtaking companion." Hank cocked his head to the side, pausing in biting into yet another Twinkie. "Then again you have always enjoyed _my _company, so perhaps you simply have good taste."

"He tastes good anyway," Maggie joined in, taking delight in the way Hank's eyes went wide.

"Now, Maggie, be nice. Hank's shy." Bobby chided before getting just a little serious. "We're leaving early tomorrow morning so I won't be able to visit you at the store tonight. I know you have to go home and sleep soon, but how 'bout some fun first? Or are you hungry?"

"No, I had a little something," she said evasively. It wouldn't do to pop right out about the pie after going through the trouble of washing the dishes. "What did you have in mind? We're out of whipped cream and chocolate sauce, so that's out."

"I didn't say mind blowing fun. Maybe something that could mean a little trouble though." He grinned as her eyes lit up. Trouble and fun together meant something exceptional. "How about we go outside and I show you some of the wonder of ice on a hot summer's day?"

Eagerly, Maggie stood up and Bobby led her out to the picnic table where she could watch him, the Master of Ice.

First he moved all the lawn furniture out of the way. He wanted a large area and didn't want to stop once he started working on it. Then Bobby began meticulously sculpting a complicated structure.

Maggie was fascinated. She knew Bobby liked the cold and he could cool or freeze things, but she'd never seen him use his powers on such a large scale. The small three-inch tall piece he'd done of her favorite game character had been magnificent enough. This was something else. It was huge! Whatever it was.

After about twenty minutes, Bobby stepped back to study his handiwork, looking for flaws. More than a little curious, Maggie joined him, craning her head to get a better look. She wasn't sure but thought it began with a ladder going a good thirty feet into the air. Attached was a very large hollow tube, more a tunnel, sloping out and corkscrewing. The tunnel then flowed into a loop-de-loop over the pool. On it went to another corkscrew, ending in the pool. Here and there all over were holes for light and air.

After several minutes, with Bobby watching her closely, Maggie finally understood. "It's a slide! A humongous slide made of ice! Too cool! Literally!"

Pleased, he wiggled his brows at her. "And it's big enough for two."

"So what's bad about this? Why trouble?"

"Weeeell, sometimes it takes a long time to melt and has been known to kill the grass if it takes too long. The professor doesn't like all the brown patches." He glanced at the mansion sheepishly. "But I think it'll get hot enough today to be at least mostly melted by nightfall."

"And once it starts falling apart the pool will be a giant glass of ice water." Maggie giggled.

"Ready to try it?"

"You bet! Just let me put my phone on the table." Unclipping the tiny cell phone from the boxers, she laid it down and gingerly made her way to the ladder, Bobby right behind her.

At the top, Maggie sat down, grateful the boxers were long on her but feeling the cold go straight through them. Bobby slid his legs alongside hers, wrapped his arms tightly around her, and they pushed off.

They picked up speed quickly. Somewhere going round and round in the first corkscrew Maggie started screaming in delight. She was out of breath by the time they went around the loop, but started again at the second corkscrew. Seeing the opening at the end, she held her breath and they shot into the pool. Kicking back to the surface, she sputtered and laughed.

"That was great!" she shouted at the top of her lungs and kissed him deeply, taking him back under the water. Again sputtering and laughing once she let him go, she headed for the pool ladder to climb out. "Let's do that again!"

* * *

... Interlude ... 

"Hello!"

_"Margaret Allison, your mother would like to speak to you. Don't disappoint me."_

"Yes, Daddy."

_"Maggie?"_

"Mom, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-"

_"Margaret, be quiet."_

"Yes, Ma'am."

_"I love you and miss you, too."_

"I'm sorry-"

_"I said, be quiet... I shouldn't have pressured you."_

_"Your father has spent the last couple days yelling at me and I've come to understand you're a grown woman who can make her own choices. And your own mistakes."_

"Mommy-"

_"If you want to study history, you can study history. I won't pay for it, but I won't interfere and try to stop you."_

"I-"

_"I also won't mention law school again. Well, I'll try not to. Of course, if you change your mind and want to try your hand at law, I'll support you in any way I can, but I won't push or nag anymore.That last part was your father's words, not mine."_

"Oh, Mom, that's really all I wanted."

_"Maggie, I know I've been stubborn and I _am _very sorry."_

"I shouldn't have hung up on you. I'm sorry too, it was wrong of me. And I should have taken your calls."

_"No, you were right about that. I needed time to understand. I should have spoken to you when you called back but I was more angry at Albert than you by then. I didn't want to speak to anyone."_

"I'm so happy you're not mad at me."

_"Me too, sweetheart, and I want to make it up to you."_

"You don't have to do anything, I'm just glad we've got it all cleared up."

_"But I want to! And I know just the way."_

"You do?"

_"Yes, I'm going to come visit you. We'll go shopping for school clothes and books, and anything else you need. It'll be such fun and give us a chance to bond!"_

"I-I...I don't need anything. Really."

_"Nonsense, there's always something. Living by yourself and all, your expenses must be dipping into your savings."_

"Not that much. Hardly at all."

_"I won't take no for an answer. I'll leave tomorrow morning and be there by evening."_

"You will?"

_"I'll take the scenic route. I haven't been on a trip by myself in years and I can't wait."_

"You can't? But-"

_"I'll stay for a whole week."_

"A week!"

_"Love you. See you tomorrow! Bye!"_

(click)

"Bye..."

... End Interlude ...

* * *

Towel around her neck and goosebumps on her arms and legs - the ice-slide was fun but _very _cold - Maggie walked into the dining room in a daze. The mansion's residents had lunch ready and were about to sit down for the meal, but all stopped to look at her.

"Maggie?" Charles asked gently. He could sense her shock and knew - without 'looking' since she seemed to naturally project so often - whatever was wrong had to do with her mother. "Did something happen?"

Bobby was very concerned. Rising from his chair beside the empty place he'd been saving for her, he went to her. Brushing her damp hair back from her face, he asked, "Was there an accident? Is someone in your family hurt?"

Blinking, Maggie swallowed to moisten her dry throat. "You're leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," he said carefully.

"And you'll be gone a couple days?"

"Maybe longer, we're not sure yet."

"Good, because I can't see you for the next week." She almost whimpered the words.

"What's wrong?" Bobby demanded, taking in her tone more than what she said.

"My mother's coming. For a whole week." There was no mistaking the sheer panic. "I can't see you with her here."

"Is there something about Bobby that you don't want your mother to know?" Charles asked a bit stiffly. He had run into some that were accepting of their own children being mutants but not others.

"You!" Maggie suddenly raised a hand and pointed her finger at him. "This is your fault!"

"Excuse me?" Charles certainly didn't see how anything could be his fault, much less what was his fault in the first place.

"You and your advice! I should have just let my mom be mad at me! Now she wants to bond! She wants to take me shopping! Do I look like a _shopping _kind of person to you?" she demanded.

He was beginning to get an idea of the problem, but still... "I fail to see-"

"'Open the lines of communication', that came from _you_! Well, from you to Bobby to me, but it started with you." She couldn't blame Bobby since he was her boyfriend and she needed another scapegoat. Luckily there was one handy. "'Given time' you said. Where's my time? I _need _more time! _Bobby _needs more time!"

"Sooner is better than later. I'm sure you'll realize this. Hopefully soon." Her reaction seemed a little extreme being as she'd been crying the night before because her mother wouldn't talk to her. "I thought you wanted to better the relationship between yourself and your mother."

"From a distance! Not my apartment!" Maggie was calming down, though the others couldn't tell. "Look at the other side of it. You know all those cliches about boyfriends being interrogated by a girl's parents?"

"In my experience, they are usually more of an urban myth," Charles tried to reassure her.

"Shugah, how bad could it be?" Rogue couldn't help asking.

"Jean's parents really like me." Scott attempted to help. "I was terrified, but they're wonderful."

"Are they lawyers?" Maggie demanded. "_No one_ but _no one_ grills over a guy like my mother. She's sent them home crying. Trust me, neither of us is ready for that. If we can help it, none of us let her meet our significant others. Carter's the only one who found someone she liked and he had to dump her because of it."

"I'm leaving tomorrow. It'll give you and your mom a couple days - at least - to get to know each other again, and get on each other's nerves," Bobby said jokingly. "Then I'll be back, we'll meet, and she'll leave. Simple."

"No." She said firmly. "You can meet my mom when my dad is around to protect you. We're not seeing each other for the next week. We'll have phone sex or something, but no meeting my mom." With that she plopped down in the empty chair, a defeated look about her.

Kurt and Jean started choking. He had witnessed the scene with Lorna but hadn't spent any real time with Maggie. Jean was wondering if she would ever get used to Maggie's blunt ways.

"Well, at least your mum won't be here long," Betsy said brightly.

Maggie glared at her and muttered, "Maybe Dave will put me back on double-shifts."

to be continued.

* * *

note:  
You guys had to have seen this coming. 

Next chapter! Maggie has a visitor (and you now know who it will be) and the plot comes back to the fore!

Okay, I am not quite done with chapter 15 yet. As it's getting close to the end, I think the reason is two-fold: I'm feeling some pressure and like usual I don't really want the story to end. So I started working on "What Might Have Been" a little and hopefully that will blunt the anxiety. I mean, I _know_ what I want and need to happen but I just can't seem to find the words. I still have faith in myself that it will be done on time though. I still have, what, six weeks? I can do it, but I'm aparantly doing it _slowly_.

Also for those who want it, I have created Maggie's family, including Josh, in my Sims2 game. If anyone would like to see a picture of them, let me know and I will email it to you. Anyone who has read some of my other stories knows I am a Sims2 fanatic! As a bit of a plug for others interested in the game, SynapticSim at ModTheSims2 and Insimenator has created just about all the X-Men for the game. No, they do not have powers but it's still pretty cool.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	12. A Little Insanity

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 12: A Little Insanity

... Interlude ...

_"Calling to let you know she's left, Bright-eyes."_

"She already did that. Daddy, how could you let this happen?"

_"Maggie, I meant it last night when I told you not to disappoint me. This is what I was talking about. Your mother feels bad and wants to make it up to you. Let her. It will be good for you both."_

"How! We'll drive each other nuts!"

_"Just spend some time with her and be open-minded. You might learn something. You, my darling daughter, need to learn more tolerance."_

"You're forgetting something. It's not me that doesn't accept her the way she is. _Mom _is always trying to change _me_. I'm not the intolerant one."

_"Oh, yeah. Well, do your best."_

"You wanted her out of the house, didn't you? You didn't even try to talk her out of this!"

_"Maaaaybeeee..."_

"Daddy!"

_"Okay! She's been driving me crazy! I needed a little time to myself. It's going to be a boy's week around here and I'm going to enjoy it. It's not like you won't get anything out of it. She's going to shop herself out buying you everything under the sun."_

"I'm not going to be able to see Bobby for the whole time she's here! Daaaaaad..."

_"It's too late now, she's gone. But seriously, Maggie, if you let yourself, you might enjoy it. Did you ever wonder why Janice and I got married in the first place? Everyone knows we're nothing alike."_

"I came up with two choices: either you loved each other very much or you knocked her up. Since you were married for almost two years before I was born, I settled on the first one."

_"Smart aleck. Listen up. She's opinionated, can be a bit of a snob sometimes, and is a stickler for the rules. It took some time, but I fell for her pretty hard. We wouldn't have lasted long if she'd spent this much time at home in the beginning of our marriage. The thing is that your mother can be a real pain, but she's also very generous, has lots of energy, and a big heart. She loves us all very much, let her show you in her own way."_

"I'm still not going to be able to see Bobby. And she's still going to get on my nerves."

_"Big loss. If he cares about you at all, he'll be there once she leaves. And whenever she's driving you crazy, remember she IS leaving. She's happy and excited. I stick with my original fatherly command: don't disappoint me."_

"I'll try."

_"Good girl. Now, I'll let you go because she'll probably be calling you all day to let you know her progress."_

"Can't wait."

... End Interlude ...

* * *

Four days. Her mother had been at her apartment for _four _days. Maggie could swear she was going insane trying to be nice to her.

Maggie loved her mother. She respected and admired her. Just because they didn't understand each other didn't mean that wasn't true.

Janice Gaines had kept her word and arrived early in the evening, making a four hour drive into six. They'd had only a couple hours before Maggie had to get ready for work. Because her mother had called almost every half hour, she hadn't gotten much rest.

Deciding Maggie would be lonely, Janice had shown up several times during the night to 'keep her company'. Which had been really sweet, but distracting. Especially when she'd innocently asked questions Maggie didn't want to answer. Questions such as, "How do you like your new boss?" and "What's your new schedule like?" Without trying, Maggie's mother had hit on the very things Maggie had wanted to keep from her. To Maggie's relief, she'd accepted vague answers.

That had probably been because she'd kept herself busy while Maggie was working by rearranging her whole apartment. Or that's what it seemed like when Maggie got home.

Then after several hours sleep, the shopping started. The first expedition wasn't so bad. Maggie thought of it as Day One.

Apparently, Janice found much to be desired in her daughter's new home. She believed everything in the kitchen to be "not up to par". Two hours alone were spent finding the right dishes and cookware. Kitchen gadgets galore were purchased with glee, most which Maggie knew she'd never need nor use. But she liked the new flatware.

The next stop had been home electronics. The DVD player Maggie had just wasn't good enough. So she received a whole new entertainment center, complete with about thirty DVDs, some of which Maggie liked and others she hoped would keep her mother busy at some point during her stay - the woman would have to stop and take a breather sometime, right? Janice didn't blink an eye at the new game system Maggie added, along with eight new games.

To be completely honest, none of this sounded all that bad. When kept in perspective. The hard part in all of it was the dozen or so stores they went to for the kitchen things alone, five more for the electronics. Maggie's father had always said she got her energy from her mother, but she'd never paid attention or really understood what he meant until now.

Thankfully, Maggie's mother was all for snacking between every other store and usually it was fast-food - Maggie's favorite kind. However, dinner was at a fancy French restaurant much more in line with Janice's tastes. She didn't complain because she was just grateful Janice hadn't insisted on cooking herself.

She wasn't so spared the next morning at breakfast. Everything was either burned or raw, the scrambled eggs somehow being _both_. The two women were completely baffled at how toast cooked in the brand new toaster came out burned for Janice but perfect for Maggie. Laughing and getting along as they hadn't for a very long time, they finally accepted it as one of those idiosyncrasies of life that happened only to Janice while in a kitchen.

Day Two's shopping went much like Day One's except it was clothes and since Maggie didn't have to work - damn Dave! - she was much more rested.

Maggie really didn't see that she needed new clothes right then, but she kept her father's words firmly in mind. Janice loved to shop for clothes. It was her favorite past-time and she was an expert. However, it was Maggie's least favorite thing to do.

The real problem was that their choices differed greatly. Maggie was very casual, preferring cotton as in jeans and tshirts. Which had thrown Janice into a frenzy for years as she was the kind of person to wear cashmere and silk, usually as in pressed slacks and blouses, if not skirts and dresses. Maggie also liked dark colors - she went through a solidly Goth phase as a teen which she still leaned towards most of the time - and Janice pastels.

Gentle and cautious _discussions _ensued.

Daughter won over mother for regular clothes because Maggie finally made her understand cashmere and silk wouldn't hold up well in a convenience store or while going to classes, though Janice still didn't like it.

Mother won over daughter when it came to 'nice' clothes, Maggie being unable to make her understand she didn't need 'nice' clothes. So Maggie found herself to be the owner of five designer dresses, including a Van Dyne original, after fifteen stores - probably an exaggeration but Maggie lost count. Where she would wear them was a mystery. She resigned herself to giving up a large portion of closet space to the things her mother wanted her to have but she wouldn't wear.

The last stop of the day was lingerie. Here was an area Maggie had never paid much mind to. She had never let her mother drag her to this many places in the past so they had never been to a shop dedicated to women's underclothes before. It was a revelation on many levels. Janice didn't treat her as a child or even a teenager. She took Maggie straight to the most revealing and sexy items available. The part Maggie hadn't liked was when she said things like "This will drive Albert absolutely crazy. He's a wildman in bed, you know."

Maggie hadn't known and hadn't wanted to. Four children made it obvious her parents had a great sex life, but that didn't mean she needed to have that kind of picture in her mind. It was one area she didn't want to share with her parents. It was too gross. Not to mention, if she joined in that kind of discussion she would have to say something about Bobby and she wasn't going to do that.

They ended the day by going home to sandwiches - which Janice couldn't burn and was already raw since she insisted on making them.

Day Three started with waffles. Again they were either burned or half raw. The waffle iron Janice had bought Maggie didn't like her any more than the toaster had.

The shopping was for food that day. More _discussions _were had. Not always so gentle or cautious this time.

Though even Janice knew she had little to no cooking skills, she preferred gourmet and that's what she wanted to cook. Following the logic, such foods were what she wanted to buy. Maggie, on the other hand, knew her limitations. She liked to eat, whether it was gourmet or hot-dogs. Unlike Janice, Maggie liked to buy what she could cook when it came to groceries instead of what sounded good. Anything requiring capers or pinenuts was beyond her capabilities.

They both won and bought some of everything. Maggie decided Janice could play in her kitchen as long as she didn't burn the building down. What wasn't used - and what she _wouldn't _use - she could give to the mansion. Maggie was sure Jean and Ororo would appreciate the offerings. It wasn't like she wouldn't still be eating the food - hopefully.

Why they had to go to three stores for food was something Maggie would never understand.

The fourth one was a surprise, a computer store. Janice wanted a new laptop. She bought two giving one to Maggie. It was under protest because a three thousand dollar piece of equipment was more than she thought she needed, but Janice insisted. After everything else, Maggie thought it was taking guilt too far - she didn't count the dresses which actually cost much more because she hadn't wanted them.

Only four stores that day but it was just as exhausting as the others. Even Maggie's mother was wearing down because she was all for going to bed early that night.

Day Four consisted of putting away everything purchased from Day's One through Three. It wasn't easy.

There was only so much space in a one bedroom apartment. Taking everything which was replaced and putting them in the boxes the new items came from for delivery to Goodwill helped but there was still a corner of Maggie's bedroom and one in the living room with stacks of boxes because there was no place to put them.

This led to the first discussion of the day consisting of Maggie needing a larger apartment. The next being how such a lovely woman insisted on mainly going without make-up. Then how such pretty hair should be styled better. There was more but Maggie managed to block it out.

Her mother meant well. She'd been more than generous. They had even gotten along - mostly. But Maggie's ability to take well meaning advice in stride and hold her tongue was wearing thin. She and her mother were very different people who were related but liked each other. Or that's how Maggie termed it when she wasn't feeling particularly kind. Silently because saying that outloud would completely undo all progress made.

Perhaps insane was an exaggeration, exhaustion and frustration weren't. Going back to work was a relief.

Maggie only hoped her apartment would look the same when she got home, but was afraid it wouldn't.

* * *

At the mansion only a couple miles from where Maggie was working at the QuickStop, Bobby wasn't happy.

"Bobby, yore startin' tah bum me out. Either take yore depressing self outtah heah or put on yore happy face," Rogue demanded when he sighed forlornly, once again disturbing the movie. He had suggested watching 'Shrek' in the first place. How was she supposed to enjoy it when he was acting this way? They weren't even halfway through it.

She knew the problem wasn't the mission. That had actually been quick with the children right away assuring the team they were not being mistreated at all but rather the opposite. Some of the older teens had been kicked out of their homes when their parents discovered they were mutants. The halfway house was the first place they had been accepted. The local FOH wasn't very happy with the place but weren't making an issue of it because the mutant children _were _being segregated. However, that segregation wasn't hurtful, it was because they were wanted there, which made a big difference to all the children. The X-Men had decided to quietly offer the opportunity to go to the Institute to those who felt they might some day be interested, and provided the director of the establishment with their information for if the situation changed. All in all, from what Rogue had been told, it had been a pleasant change from the usual missions.

What she didn't know was Bobby had arrived home and immediately called Maggie. It had been a short conversation. All their conversations since the beginning of her mother's visit had been short and to the point. Which was they missed each other desperately but Maggie couldn't - or rather _wouldn't _- see him until her mom left.

"Now, cherie, leave him be." Remy was full of sympathy. He and Rogue had been the only ones to take Bobby up on the movie suggestion. "His lady won' see him. He miss her. Remy be de same when we apart."

"Hah! Swamp rat, yah don't get depressed, yah go tomcattin'!" Eyes narrowing, her fists bunched against her thighs. "Yah think Ah don't know that?"

"Ah, ma belle cherie, dat what on de outside, inside be Remy's pain. Bobby more secure den Remy, he let us see how he feel." Finished laying on the charm, Remy's voice lowered and he added with mock despair, "Maggie not even let him visit at de store an' she be workin' tonight."

"What! Why she bein' like that? Her mama's not therah." Anyone could see how well Bobby and Maggie fit together. It was sweet enough to touch her heart and soften her ire. Rogue didn't really know Maggie as a person, but she liked her just for the way Maggie got Jean choked up all the time.

"She says her mom comes in at all hours of the night to check on her and she doesn't want to chance a meeting." Bobby answered. "I don't know if I can wait another three days." How would he know if she were eating enough? Getting enough sleep? He couldn't check if those damn rashes were getting better or worse, and who was going to hold her hand so she didn't rub them? No, he couldn't wait anther three days to see her. But then if he _didn't_,she would be extremely mad at him and the wait could be considerably longer. He couldn't win.

"It's almost eleven. She's therah now, right?" Rogue met Remy's eyes. "Maybe we can take a little trip ta the store an' get 'Ro a candybar. We can let Maggie know somebody's missin' her an awful lot."

"You'd do that for me?" Bobby smiled for the first time in days. "You're the best!"

"Sure, shugah. Now, yah stop yore noises ovah therah and we'll go." She settled back and unpaused the DVD. "Aftah the movie."

* * *

Her back to the door as she stocked the cigarettes, when she heard the bell Maggie called out while turning around, "Good evening! Just let me know if you need any... help..."

Voice fading, she stared at the man uncomprehendingly. The first thought in her head was that he must be really hot in that ski-mask. The second was 'Oh my God, is that a real gun?'

Said gun was pointed straight at her head and her eyes were now trained on it.

"Open the register and put the money in a paper bag!" the man shouted. "Move!"

Moving slower than usual, everything seeming to be happening to someone else, Maggie took the few steps necessary and pressed the button to open the register, just as she'd been told.

"A bag! Get a paper bag and put the money in it!" At the counter now, easily reaching over it, he pushed the gun into her hair. She could easily feel the metal against her head. "I'll shoot! Hurry up!"

Training kicked in dimly. She pushed the silent alarm button as she got the bag, then opened it and set it on the counter in a way that it wouldn't block the camera not so cleverly hidden inside a speaker box. All stores had a camera like it that took still pictures when a certain set of money was removed. The first stack she took out of the register and dropped in the paper bag triggered the first piece of evidence the police would look for when they arrived.

"Move it! You're too slow!" The gun pressed harder.

Moving faster, however all seeming to be in slow motion from her perspective, Maggie took each stack of money and dropped it in the bag. Her hands were starting to shake.

The man took hold of the bag with his free hand but not to leave. "Take out the drawer! Take it out and give me the rest!"

Her throat tight, Maggie didn't say what she thought, which was 'Why? We don't keep money under the drawer. It's against policy. It's even on signs that we only have fifty dollars in the register.' But she did as instructed, laying the drawer now only holding change on the other side of the bag.

Surprised, she didn't move when she saw the money. There was lots. At least three one-hundred dollar bills and several fifties.

The gun jabbed her, making her move again. "Put it in the bag!"

Numb, terrified, and paying close attention to what she was doing so she didn't drop the money with her shaking hands, Maggie didn't even realize the gun had been removed from her head and the man was coming around to stand behind her. Until the gun pressed against the back of her head instead of the side after she'd finished putting the money in the bag.

That was when the man saw the button for the alarm. He either guessed or assumed she'd pressed it.

"Bitch!"

Pain instantly ran through her as the gun crashed with blinding force against her skull.

Her knee hit the shelf under the register which the paper sacks were on, scattering them as Maggie fell and her head hit the cement floor.

Unconscious, she didn't see the man run out of the store with the bag clutched tightly in his hand to a car waiting outside.

to be continued.

* * *

note: I know, it's a day late, same old problems. But here it is! Are you shocked? Surprised? I told you the plot was going in an unexpected direction. 

Next chapter: well... everyone finds out about the incident. I really don't know how else to say it.

Thanks for reading and all the support,  
Dizi


	13. The Tradgedy Becomes Known

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 13: The Tragedy Becomes Known

After more than fifty years of marriage, five children, eleven grandchildren, several wars, the death of two children, and all the nomal events and tragedies which occurred in more than one-hundred-forty-five years of combined life spans, Herbert and Adelaide Slover were very much in love.

Perhaps in love again was a better way to put it because they had gone through a couple decades of indifference and taking each other for granted. But in their golden years they had rediscovered their first flush of love. Often they were seen holding hands. Just to touch, no reason in particular. Their teenage grandchildren were torn whether to be disgusted or amused while secretly hoping they were like that when they were old.

To add a little romance and a touch of risque to their relationship, the Slovers had a midnight rendevue every Wednesday night during the summer. At eleven-thirty they walked the three blocks to the QuickStop and shared a pint of ice-cream on the way home. The same way they had when they were teenagers themselves. It took a little longer now.

"Herby, which of those children do you think is there tonight?" Adelaide asked when they were half a block away. "I'm glad that other one is gone, he was rude."

"Maybe that new boy who was there last time," Herbert answered complacently and winked at her. "I saw how you looked at his butt."

"Please, he's young enough to be one of our grandchildren." But she had a twinkle in her faded blue eyes and blushed prettily. "Guess, I'm not too old to appreciate a nice looking young man. Nor a nice looking old one, either."

"Thank you, my dear. Could be that pretty thing with the blue hair." He said it just to show her he wasn't too old to look either. He frowned in thought, his memory not as good as it once was. "What was her name?"

"I can't remember." Adelaide sighed, remembering the woman she once was. "You're right though, she is pretty."

Releasing her hand briefly, Herbert goosed her hip. "Almost as pretty as you at her age."

She laughed as though she were that age again. "Oh, Herby, you always did know what to say."

"Only to you, my love," he vowed. "No one else ever made my tongue loose enough."

They came to the parking lot, but neither could remember who the car belonged to. Holding the door for his lady like the gentleman he was, Herbert found it strange he didn't see anyone. But then, there were many things he didn't see. His eyesight also wasn't as good as it once was. It might be called worse than most's. His children, especially his remaining son, said his vision was just plain bad.

His wife stopped him as he headed for the ice-cream bin. With a horrified gasp, Adelaide clutched his arm and pointed to the floor at the opening to the small area behind the counter. He didn't see where Adelaide was looking, but knew when he squinted something was wrong by the open register and its drawer sitting on the counter.

While he took in the scene, as quickly as she was able his wife moved to the opening in the counter where she had seen the blond and blue hair on the floor. That would have been enough for her gasp without the blood mingled thoughout the girl's hair, visible with Adelaide's bifocals which Herbert had refused to get.

He moved to his wife's side before she could assist the fallen clerk. "Don't touch her! I saw it on TV that we shouldn't. I'll call 911."

Carefully he went around the girl to the phone on the wall. Lifting the handset to his ear, he frowned and clicked the receiver button several times. Slamming the phone back in place, Herbert cursed in a way he rarely did in his wife's presence. There was no dial tone. "I'm going to get help."

"Poor little girl," Adelaide whispered as he left the building. "Poor, poor child."

* * *

... Interlude ... 

_"How's it going, Sharkey?"_

"Albert, I don't know why you're still calling me that. I'm not a lawyer anymore, so why do you persist in calling me a shark?"

_"Baby, you'll always be a lawyer, you have the shark instincts. And you didn't answer my question."_

"Well, I miss you, cutie-pie."

_"Me too."_

"No, you don't. You and the boys are playing your games, you're drinking beer, and all four of you are running around the house in your underwear. You've probably had your friends over for poker since I'm gone."

_"We can do all that and still miss you. Now, tell me you didn't nag Maggie today."_

"Being as I don't nag, then of course not."

_"So you didn't bring up her hair or any of those other things you usually pick at."_

"I might have mentioned them. Briefly. Once or twice. But I didn't nag, because I _don't _nag."

_"Jan, you're a champ at nagging. The two of you get along better when you don't say all the things that bother you about her."_

"I know. I'm trying, just like I promised. We've been getting along pretty well."

_"Which means she's trying too. Probably more than you are."_

"She's younger and less set in her ways. Albert, does Maggie have a boyfriend?"

_"... Why do you ask?"_

"She was very enthusiastic at the lingerie store, and she's been taking her phone to the bathroom sometimes. I could swear she was making kissy noises in there."

_"If she does - and I'm not saying she does, now - I'm sure she'll tell you when she feels like it."_

"I hope she does, but she hasn't mentioned any friends. I don't want her to be lonely here."

_"Janice, baby steps. It'll be a while before she's sure you've turned over a new leaf. Maggie's at work?"_

"Yes, I'm going to visit in a minute."

_"No! Don't do that! You need some time apart. She-"_

"I have to go now. Love you! Bye!"

(click)

_"Damn."_

... End Interlude ...

* * *

In her SUV, Janice was on her way to her first visit of the night at the convenience store. She planned on at least three. The last to hopefully coincide with Maggie's boss's arrival. Janice hadn't missed her daughter's evasions and it was easy to tell Maggie was uncomfortable with her being there, but...

She had always known they were different people. Janice would never have thought to color her hair - except to take out the grey she didn't admit she had. However with the rift between them mended, she was _learning _to be more accepting of those differences. Slowly.

Her own mother had died when she was a child. Janice had always wished to know her better. She had determined when Maggie was born that they would be close.

Then she had gotten involved with work. Janice hadn't seen how her family life had taken a backseat to her career. Before she knew it, her baby girl was all grown up and graduating High School.

Watching her daughter receive her diploma had been a wake-up call. That was when she knew things had to change. It had taken a year, but Janice gave up the career she loved.

She had tried so hard, perhaps _too _hard. Albert kept telling her she went to extremes. She was aware of the problem. She just didn't know any other way to be.

Lately, she had missed working more and more, disappointed at how she was failing in her new position as full-time mother. She wasn't needed, the children looked to Albert. It was the way they had wanted it in the beginning. She had been all for it then. In fact, she really still was because she didn't know the answers like he did. It was her own fault she had waited so long.

Perhaps it was time to go back to what she knew. _Try _to work only part-time. Take more time off. Spend more time at home. Go on more vacations, as a family and alone with her husband. Do her best to have a career while still being a real wife and mother. All the things she hadn't been able to do before.

These few days had shown her it wasn't too late with Maggie. They were getting along like never before. Not perfectly, but much better. She had hope like she hadn't in five years. Maybe she _could _do it all now. By listening to Albert more and letting go of what _she _wanted... Well, not completely, but more. She still thought Maggie would make an exceptional lawyer and wouldn't pay for her to study history, of all things.

Coming back to the present, Janice concentrated on her driving as she approached the store. She almost hit an elderly man who was waving his arms frantically to get her attention.

"Do you have a phone?" he asked urgently, after she'd rolled down her window. "There's been a robbery and we need an ambulance for the clerk."

"Oh my goodness," Janice whispered in a broken voice. "Maggie!"

* * *

Bored with his usual nightly entertainments, Logan was on his way home. He couldn't help noticing the police cars swarming the QuickStop. Normally he wouldn't care so much, he knew the manager didn't like "his kind", but that was before Maggie had gotten so friendly with the X-Men.

Breaking his Harley just inside the driveway, he stopped to look and listen. There was a little old lady crying in a little old man's arms. Police were everywhere and checking out everything. Through the window, he recognized the store manager. Narrowing his eyes, Logan almost growled aloud at who he _didn't _see. There was no sign of Maggie and he knew she should be there. Concentrating, he blocked out all the other noises and listened to the police talking some distance away.

"We didn't get the alarm because the phone is out. Can't tell who cut the line and we don't know yet if she even tried." An officer was reporting to the one who seemed to be in charge.

"My wife and I come to this store, and I've spoken to the girl who was hurt. If she had a chance to press it, I'm betting she did. What about the other camera?"

"Sorry, sir. No film. It's criminal. Sorry for the pun, but it is. We install those cameras for a reason."

"What's the manager say?" The sergeant shook his head. "Wait. Don't tell me. He's blaming that school, right?"

"Yes, sir. He said she's got a boyfriend from there and they've been spending time up at the place. Manager thinks that she knows the way the store is set-up more than well enough to be in on the robbery. I don't buy it myself. She's pretty banged up, at least, and they have plenty of money at Xavier's. Some of the others though..." The officer looked away.

"I don't believe it either. Brubaker's an ass. If it was a set-up, they wouldn't have hurt her that way. No need. If it wasn't for the old man and his wife, she could have died." The man rolled his eyes. "I wish they wouldn't blame everything on the mutant school. The guy in charge is nice enough about answering questions each time, but it shouldn't be necessary. I'm going to hold off going up there until tomorrow afternoon. I don't suppose there's any video?"

"No, sir. Manager said the tape machine is mysteriously busted. Looked fine to me. He's checking the money and how much was stolen now."

"Let me know. I gotta get to the hospital and check on the clerk. God help me," he muttered, opening his car door. "The mother is the one who called it in. She's been giving us hell."

"Sorry. The paramedics seemed to think the clerk should be conscious by about now. Maybe you can get something from the girl."

Logan had heard enough. He needed to get to the mansion and let Bobby know about his girlfriend. Then he intended to come back and see if he could sniff out anything, either figuratively or literally - though he doubted the latter would be possible with all the traffic. The manager would be a good place to start. He was either guilty as hell - which even the police seemed to suspect - or completely negligent. Which still made the man responsible in his book.

Out of sight of the police, Logan throttled the engine, increasing his speed to over one-twenty. Not that he was worried about cops pulling him over for speeding since they had enough to do right now. Most people seemed to think in a nice neighborhood like this that they didn't need to worry about robberies and the like. It wasn't true. In the 'bad' parts of town, they were more on guard and there was less to steal. He wasn't surprised the school had been blamed. They made a good scapegoat. It was nice to know the local cops knew better. They still had to follow up on each accusation but they didn't take it for granted as most would expect. Logan knew Charles would handle it easily.

He didn't like the impression he was getting of the robbery though. Too much had been wrong. No alarm. No working phone. No video. No polaroids. It stank. He'd never liked the manager and the man had been real quick to blame some of his best customers. Maybe his instincts were right on and it wasn't negligence...

Hearing an engine coming his way, Logan slowed down. When it was close enough for him to recognize the vehicle, he stopped in the road to wait for Rogue's convertible to pull alongside. This time of night there were few places she'd be going, the QuickStop being the most likely.

"Yore blockin' the way, Logan," Rogue said peevishly. "We got ourselves a mission ah mercy."

"Huh?" he asked in confusion, looking to Remy in the passenger seat. Maybe he'd been wrong about their destination.

"Gon' see Maggie," Remy informed him solemnly. "Bobby be missin' her an' getting on Roguey's temper."

"Hush up," she warned him playfully and turned back to Logan. "We're doin' a good deed, tryin' tah get Maggie tah let Bobster visit at the store."

He nodded to himself. He'd been right afterall. "Ya can turn around then, she ain't there. Was a robbery an' Maggie's at the hospital."

"Oh mah Gawd!" Rogue exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Bobby's gonna freak!"

"How bad she be?" Remy demanded.

"Not sure," Logan growled. "An' if we stay here jawin' 'bout it all night, we ain't gonna find out. Wings an' Betts back?"

"Oui, dey get dere after you leave."

Revving the motor, Logan had to shout over it to them. "You two go back an' tell 'em what happen. I'm goin' ta see what else I can learn at the store."

Both vehicles sped back the way they had come.

to be continued.

* * *

note: I know, I know, a whole chapter and Bobby still hasn't been told. It's coming I swear! 

Almost done! Next chapter is in two weeks like usual and will really finish most everything. Then the last chapter is more like an epilogue.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	14. The DragonLady Cometh

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 14: The DragonLady Cometh

Upon learning of Maggie's location and the reason behind it - no other details were necessary - Bobby had to be physically restrained. Nobody wanted him driving when he was so emotional. Rogue had to tackle him when he immediately made a run for her car, the closest means of transportation available.

One of his greatest fears in relation to Maggie had been that she would be attacked on duty. Now it had actually happened... Needless to say, he didn't take the news well.

Not quite as upset as Bobby, Betsy also became emotional. To the point of losing control enough to alert those who hadn't heard Bobby's commotion.

Arriving just in time to prevent everyone from invading the hospital en mass, Charles stepped in with the voice of reason. "I know you're all concerned, but such actions won't do. It would be far too much of a disturbance in a place where the people are already traumatized. There is no need to draw attention to both us and Maggie."

"Let me go!" Bobby shouted from the stranglehold Rogue still had on him. "You can't seriously think I'm staying here when-"

"Robert!" Charles said sharply. "No one is suggesting anything of the sort. You will leave momentarily. Who all else is going is the question, because I will not allow you to drive any more than they will and not everyone can go."

"I refuse to be left behind," Betsy spoke up quickly.

"Your friendship with Maggie has not been forgotten." Charle resisted the urge to rub his head. It was still aching from her inadvertent psychic invasion. "I don't believe you are in a condition to drive either. Warren seems to be the best choice."

"But I-" Jean began.

"No," he stopped her firmly.

"Perhaps-" came from Ororo.

"No," he repeated and continued before anyone else could speak up. "I like Maggie too, but we should let those with a closer connection be there to comfort her."

"I fail to see why our avian teammate should be given such an honor," Hank said stiffly. "He can hardly be called a friend to Bobby's lovely companion. A phsysian, such as myself, may be of assistance."

"Hank, he's going for Betsy and to drive. I'm quite sure the doctors are capable of helping Maggie. We will all go see her, but not _now_." Charles was clearly exasperated. "Rogue, you may release him."

Bobby was off like a shot as soon as her grip loosened, Betsy and Warren not far behind.

* * *

With the number of officers on site, it didn't take long for them to finish processing the scene. They had actually done so when Logan had arrived at the QuickStop the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Slover had been taken home and Dave Brubaker was still in the midst of a "cash count" by the time he returned.

Of the initial five police cars, only one was still there when the amount stolen was determind, a grand total of eight-hundred-sixty-three dollars. To their credit, the two remaining cops did not express their sympathies in either direction as Dave once again began to rant. Keeping stoic expressions on their faces, they listened to him go on about the untrustworthiness of mutants in general, Xavier's in specific, and how Maggie being in collusion with them was the only explanation for the amount to be so high.

Logan wondered how the arrogant man thought anyone could possibly believe that considering Maggie had only come into work an hour and a half before the robbery. Even if it had been an exceptionally busy night, the late shift wouldn't bring in that much money by morning. Half might be possible if every customer paid in cash instead of credit cards, but would still be doubtful. In less than two hours? Impossible.

Guessing the officers were about to leave and since he wasn't really hiding, Logan decided to avoid suspicion and go inside like the regular customer he was.

To his surprise, the manager immediately pointed a finger at him. "He's one of them! From that school! Do your job and at least question him!"

Rasing his brows, Logan watched the two policemen - though that was a misnomer as one was a woman - exchange glances. "There a problem, officers? Jus' wantin' a pack o' cigars."

With a sigh, obviously humoring the irate man, the female cop tapped the badge pinned to the front of her uniform and pulled out a small notepad. "I'm Officer Sanchez, this is Officer Ansley. You may not be aware there was a crime committed here earlier."

Shrugging, Logan admitted, "Guessed that. Seen the cop cars out front on my way back from the Auger."

"That'll make this easier then. What time did you leave?"

He had to think about it. "'Round 'bout ten ta midnight, 'cause I drove by at straight up twelve."

"Okay." She jotted a quick note, snapped the pad shut, and shoved it back into a pocket. "Thank you for your cooperation."

"That's it?" Dave demanded. "That's all you're going to do?"

The two exchanged glances again. Sanchez said coolly, "Mr. Brubaker, the Auger Inn has video cameras in both the bar and the parking lot - which I can assure you are in working order unlike the ones in _your _establishment. If he's lying, we'll know within thirty minutes. Since I'm a frequent visitor there and at Harry's, I personally happen to know that is where this man normally spends his evenings. So yes, that's it for now. We _will _be investigating."

His eyes twinkling at her authoritative tone, Logan took another look at Sanchez and Ansley. He had vaguely recognized their scent but her reminder of where from brought other images of them to mind. They looked much different in uniform. 'Course it was his experience that everyone did. "This mean I can get my smokes?"

"Be our guest, it's illegal for him to refuse you service." Gesturing to the register, Ansley nodded complacently to him before they left.

Muttering under his breath the whole time, Dave slapped the cigars down on the counter after Logan pointed them out. He then jabbed the keys to ring them up and slammed the drawer shut when the sale was complete.

Just to irritate him further, Logan made a show of counting his change.

To make it look like he was leaving, Logan revved his Harley and exited the parking lot with a roar. But he only went around the corner, parked his bike, and sprinted back to the store. In the shadows by the side window, he leaned against the wall and listened for what was going on inside. More importantly, what might be said. It was doable, but he might not catch everything if the man were whispering. He wasn't worried, the man didn't seem to be the whispering type.

He didn't have long to wait. It was only a few minutes later a car pulled up with the new kid and an older version of him who Logan guessed was his father. Larry was in what the women would call a 'tizzy'.

"Dave, we heard about Maggie - the police called. Is she okay?" Larry asked in a worried tone. "What's her condition?"

"How would I know? I've been here, not the hospital."

"Son, why don't you wait in the car." The older man said it as though it were not a suggestion.

"But, Dad-" the boy protested.

Logan supposed he was technically a young man but he smelled like a boy, so 'boy' he would remain in his eyes.

"Go, Larry. I promise I'll tell you about the girl as I get more information. For now, I need to talk business with Dave." He waited for his son to leave, then rounded on Dave. "What the hell happened?"

"What do you mean?" Logan could hear the confusion in his voice. "I did just as we planned and left the money under the drawer before Larry took over in the afternoon. The robbery went just as we wanted. When do I get my cut? I know my share's not much, but I want it."

"Just as planned, huh?" was the sarcastic reply. "The plan was shot to hell! Greer didn't have the chance to get the money. The cops were already here. Do you know what that means?"

Dave didn't answer.

"Let me tell you. It means someone else got here FIRST. We don't have the marked bills to frame that clerk. To top it off, this evening I got a call at home from the main office asking about company policies in this store. They're watching us and we look incompetent!"

"What do they care about how I run my store?" Dave was starting to sound worried himself.

"My God! You _are _incompetent _and _stupid. They care because your clerk contacted them, you imbecile! This was the wrong time to pull your stunt to implicate her."

"She's a mutie-lover and I hate having her work here!" he defended, a trifle frantic. "You thought it was a good idea, too! You wanted her gone just as much as I did so she wouldn't get that scholarship instead of Larry. You said you couldn't change her records because she came from another district and they were already at the main office. You even introduced me to Greer at the rally last week!"

Knowing the rally he referred to was held by the local FOH, Logan's fists clenched. He'd been there keeping an eye on them. There had been too many to listen in on everyone but he hated that he had missed this piece of information.

Pushing away from the wall, Logan headed back to his ride. He had heard enough to have a full picture. If they hadn't been such amatures, they might have been successful. There was no way for him to prove what they had done or why, but the facts would most likely bring them down. Their bosses would hold them accountable since they _had _been incompetent and stupid.

Thinking over the conversation he had eavesdropped on, Logan almost laughed outloud. They had been foiled by a real robbery when they had been trying to stage one of their own. He just loved irony.

* * *

They made it to the hospital in a record time of twelve minutes and thirty-seven seconds because Bobby and Betsy both kept urging Warren to go faster. Their urgency - possibly with the unsconscious help of Betsy's mental abilities - seemed to be catching. Pulling into a parking spot as near the emergency entrance as he could get, Warren was grateful they hadn't been pulled over for speeding. There was no telling what his companions might have done with a delay like that.

"Come on, she's this way." Betsy started in the direction of a hall off the lobby of the emergency room.

"No, you don't." Warren took her by the arm. "We have to check where she is."

"That's not necessary, I _know _where Maggie is," she told him sharply.

"Yeah," Bobby agreed with her. "She knows where Maggie is, so let's _GO_."

"It will look a little odd if you go straight to her. We have to do this right." Without letting go of Betsy's arm, Warren dragged her with him to the nurse's station. "Hello. We're looking for a friend of ours. She was brought in some time ago."

"Are you family?" the nurse asked without looking up from her paperwork, seemingly too busy to put forth the effort.

"Good friends," Warren answered, and elaborated. "We understand she was hurt in a robbery and are very worried about her."

Still writing, she tapped some keys on the computer, saying in a bored tone, "Name?"

"Maggie Gaines," Bobby jumped in impatiently. "I'm her boyfriend."

The woman finally lifted her head, her expression completely astonished. She looked Bobby up and down as though searching for something. "You're a brave one, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry?" He had no idea what she was talking about, but he really didn't care. There was only one thing on his mind. "Can you tell me how Maggie is? Is she okay?"

"She's a brave one too." Swiveling the chair, the nurse called to a woman behind her. "Shannon, got some visitors for the girl in exam room five. Want to take them over?"

The new nurse dressed in blue scubs, said incredulously, "You've got to be kidding. I'm not going in there, Norma."

"Who said anything about going in?" she shot back. "Just show them the way."

"Nuh-uh," Shannon shook her head emphatically. "Not me."

"Wimp." Norma turned back to the three visitors. "It might take me a minute here."

A male nurse pushed his way through a set of swining doors. Shannon called out a warning, "Better run fast, King!"

"Too late," Norma said smugly. "King! Take these three to exam room five! And don't even try to back out of it."

"But I'm on break," he protested desperately. "And I had to go last time!"

"Now you're going back again." Norma turned back to her paperwork and computer, saying to the three confused visitors, "Follow him. And know you have our condolences."

"What!" Bobby and Betsy panicked at her words.

"Anyone who voluntarily goes near that woman gets the same," Norma muttered low, continuing in a deceptively cheerful voice. "Go on. If she tries to kill you, don't worry. You're in a hospital."

Sighing heavily, King gestured for them to preceed him through the double doors he'd just come through. Once on the other side, he said flatly, "Look, I admire you for wanting to go in there, but you have to understand I _can't_. I'm sorry, but that woman scares me."

"Maybe we're going to the wrong place." Warren couldn't imagine Maggie being this much trouble. However, it did look good for her health. She couldn't be too hurt if she was running the nurses off. They were usually a tough lot. "Blonde girl with blue streaks in the front, about yay high," he held a hand up to demonstrate her height, "a little outrageous but normally nice."

"Who? Oooohhh! You mean the patient." King shook his head. "She's not a problem. It's her mother."

"Her mother?" Betsy repeated before understanding dawned. "Maggie's mum is here?"

"Came in the ambulance with her and has been giving everyone who comes near pure hell," he confirmed. "She shouted at the doctor and threatened to sue everybody from whoever it was who attacked her daughter to the policeman who took her statement. What she threatened to do to me while I tended to the girl's knee can't be repeated in mixed company."

Warren hesitated a step and suggested, "Maybe we should wait and come back later."

"Sorry, can't back out now." King placed his hand on a doorknob, turning it slowly. "We're already here."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Sandy!" They heard a woman shout who sounded a lot like Maggie, only meaner. "By the time I'm done we'll own that company! I'm holding them responsible! You should have heard what that police detective said!"

The door swung wide with King standing to the side so he couldn't be seen. They all three took a step in just in time to see Maggie lift her head and shout hoarsely, "Mom, will you stop! I'm not suing anyone!"

She fell back to the bed, holding her head and wincing in pain. Bobby didn't hesitate one bit. He ran to her side, took her hand in one of his, and brushed the hair back from her face with the other. "Just lay still, Maggie."

Her eyes drifting open, Maggie looked at him dazedly with happiness. "Bobby. Wow, there's five of you. That's so cool."

"Are you feeling quite the thing, luv?" Betsy asked in concern. That statement didn't bode well.

King's head popped around the doorway. "Psst!" he said loudly and popped back out of view.

Leaving the others with Maggie, Warren stepped outside.

"She's on pain medication so might not be herself. Nothing to worry about," King reassured him. He then fidgeted a little. "Um, would you mind closing the door behind you? I don't want the dragonlady to see me."

Shaking his head, Warren did as he asked. It couldn't be that bad.

"You have to be very quiet," Maggie was saying in a loud whisper. "I don't want my mom to know you're here."

"For God's sake, Maggie!" Janice shouted. "I'm right here! Sandy, for the last time, stop telling me to calm down! My baby girl could have _died_!"

Eyes narrowing, Betsy decided she was fed up with the woman. With every loud word Maggie winced, and she was not putting up with that. "Madam. You will lower your bloody voice or leave. What kind of mum are you that you can't see what you're doing to your daughter?"

"I'll call you back, Sandy. Be ready to start the paperwork," Janice said into the phone, though in a much lowered volume. Her own eyes narrowing back, she closed the tiny cell phone with a distinct snap. Nobody but her husband had ever dared take that tone with her. She didn't like it then either. "Who do you people think you are?"

"_He_," Betsy waved a hand in Bobby's direction where he hadn't moved from Maggie's side, "is the one who convinced her to call you when no one else could. Maggie's boyfriend, don't you know. _We _are the ones who had to live with him moping around while you were visiting. We are their friends, and _I_-"

"_She _is very worried about Maggie and would appreciate being told of her condition," Warren interrupted. A fight in her room couldn't help Maggie much afterall, though it wouldn't be much of a fight. Whether she knew it or not, Janice Gaines was very close to having a psychic knife shoved into her brain. That wouldn't go over well.

"Oh, she stopped talking." Maggie pouted in disappointment. "I love to hear Betsy talk. It sounds so cool." Her mood changed and she evidently forgot she didn't want to have Bobby meet her mother. "Mommy, look! Isn't he cute? He's mine, you know."

"Very nice, darling." Janice sighed. At least she knew Maggie had someone who cared about her. She'd reserve judgement on him until later. After she'd had a chance to 'talk' to him. Albert didn't have to know.

"I'm sorry to snap, but you really were upsetting Maggie," Betsy apologized now she could feel Janice calming down. She didn't blame the woman for being angry and upset - Janice wasn't the only one. "My name is Elizabeth Braddock and this is Warren. I met Maggie her first day at the QuickStop near where we live. We've grown fond of her and really would like to know exactly what happened."

Nodding, Janice decided not to make an issue of what had been said since it was done in concern. "Simply said, she was robbed at gunpoint. The man hit her on the back of her head, knocking her out. The doctor said she doesn't have a concussion and has a hard head, which must be true because she struck it again when she hit the floor. On the way down she slammed her knee and that's where the damage is. It was dislocated and they think she has a fracture. We're waiting on x-rays to find out for sure."

"She'll be fine then?" Bobby pulled his attention away from Maggie.

"No thanks to QuickStop," Janice said bitterly, getting angry again. "That place is inexcusable. I'm not putting up with it and will be suing. On Maggie's behalf, of course."

Alternately sighing and giggling, Maggie said loudly - or she thought it was loud because it made her head ring - to no one in particular, "She's always wanting to sue somebody. Mom really needs to go back to work."

Being as all her family members said _that_, Janice ignored it. Continuing, she almost snarled, "By the time I'm done, we'll own the whole company."

The fascimile of a smile on her face put Warren in mind of the story 'Little Red Riding Hood'. He had a sudden vision of a small helpless girl saying "What big teeth you have, Grandma," right before the wolf eats her. Only this harmless looking woman was the wolf and didn't seem so harmless right now.

Weakly, he asked, "Isn't that a little extreme? Blaming the whole company for her being robbed?"

"Don't be silly." Still with her ferocious smile, Janice waved a hand negligently. "It's not the robbery, that's not grounds for a lawsuit. You missed the police detective by a few minutes, he had plenty to say. There was too much wrong in the store. He called it criminal negligence. The company has to be held responsible. If not, they could blame _Maggie_! He said the manager _is _blaming her!"

Her voice rose, Maggie winced, Janice saw it and blanched, while Betsy glared at Janice. Soothing Maggie, Bobby otherwise kept quiet, content to let his teammates handle her mother. But he got the feeling it would be an ongoing cycle.

Sure he would not like the answer for several reasons, Warren asked anyway, "What was wrong at the store?"

"A better question would be, what was _right_," Janice replied sarcastically, becoming more irate by the second but keeping her volume firmly in mind. "They hadn't found out the exact amount stolen when the detective was here, but we know it was far too much. Maggie made it clear she didn't know how it got under the drawer because she doesn't put any money there. Aparently, it's against policy. I really don't care about that, it's only money. But if QuickStop is going to hold it against her, that's something else."

"I've never heard of a company doing that unless the person was somehow involved in the theft." Relief tinged his voice. That sort of thing could be dealt with.

"That's the crux of the situation. Like I said, the manager is blaming her. The money is the least of it." Janice had to pause to control herself so as to not start yelling again. "The camera that takes still pictures was out of film. The VCR connected to the video camera wasn't working. There's no evidence. What makes me so angry though is that the phone was out. Without a phone, the alarm doesn't work. Maggie said she pressed the button, but no one got the signal. She was out cold on the floor when an elderly couple found her. What if she had woken and been unable to call for help? She couldn't have gone anywhere. What if the thief had actually shot her? She could have died because no one would have come."

Closing his eyes, Bobby felt sick to his stomach. He had always tried to make sure Maggie would be close to the 'panic' button. Which wouldn't have done her any good!

Warren also was feeling sick. He didn't know Maggie that well, but he did have a personal interest in the situation. His sick feeling got worse when Janice finished with, "Worthington Industries will have a battle on their hands."

* * *

Under the smell all hospitals universally had, Logan followed the scent of his teammates to the room where Maggie was. He didn't bother going to the desk, considering it a waste of time since he knew the way.

He had just put his hand on the doorknob when he heard a woman say, "Worthington Industries will have a battle on their hands." and got the door open in time to hear Bobby and Betsy shout at the top of their lungs, "WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES!"

Seeing Maggie moan while clutching her head, a sharp order was on the tip of his tongue but Logan saw them all quickly notice her reaction.

Their words getting through the medicinal haze covering her mind, Maggie said clearly, "That's the company that bought out QuickStop a few months ago. Worthington Industries is the new holding company."

Amused at how things always went round in circles, Logan thought that at least he knew what to do with the information he'd gathered. He couldn't turn it over to the police - though an anonomous tip wasn't a bad idea - but Warren could handle it from a business standpoint. He drawled, "So, ya own the whole shabang, huh?"

Cringing as Betsy and Janice advanced on him, Warren attempted to defend himself. "I just found out. I didn't know."

"No excuse," Janice fairly snarled.

"How could you _not _know," Betsy demanded, stopping in a fighting stance.

"I have VP's in charge of acquisitions of that nature. I don't make day to day decisions, you know that, Betsy. Aparently, we've only owned QuickStop for about three months and we're just getting a handle on it." Betsy and Janice still looked menacing, so he continued quickly. "Remember the security breach? That's when I found out. Someone hacked into the computer system and emailed all high level execs about corruption in the stores in this area. I was planning to ask Maggie about it before this happened. See? I really didn't know."

Himself, Logan could see it, but didn't think Maggie's mother or Betsy was ready to let Warren off the hook.

"Yep, Josh is a good brother," Maggie murmurred. "He took care of it for me."

Thinking she was about to go into another story involving her family, to distract her from possible bloodshed Bobby prompted, "What did Josh do?"

"He sent the email for me 'cause I couldn't find the right address." Maggie sighed. "I was mad at him for taking over, but I forgive him."

Hearing her clearly, Janice was horrified her son would do something so illegal as computer hacking. "Josh did _what_!"

She glanced at Warren, who was feeling considerably better about the whole 'about to be killed by an angry mother and his girlfriend' situation. He now had a bargaining chip. Neither would want him to press charges. Which he wouldn't do anyway, but it was leverage. "Maybe we should go have a cup of coffee and talk about this, Mrs. Gaines? Do you mind if I call you Janice?"

Being a good lawyer and knowing others just as good, Janice really wasn't worried that Josh would be convicted. But he might actually be in jail at some point if charges were pressed. Her fourteen-year-old obviously-a-mutant son in a jail cell wasn't a nice thought. Such an event wasn't worth whatever might be gained in a civil suit on Maggie's behalf. Not that Maggie wanted her to sue anyway, it was the principle. Swallowing her anger, Janice said quietly, "I think it might be easier if we were on a first name basis, and a cup of coffee sounds nice, thank you. As soon as Maggie is settled in a proper room."

to be continued.

* * *

note: This was a long one, huh? There was so much to put in but I just didn't see anywhere to break it up. If I had I would have done it. Sorry, but that's the way it is. The next one is kinda the same way, a little longer than usual. It's somewhat of an epilogue, but not at the same time. You'll see what I mean next week. Yes, I said next week. I have another story to post but it is done so I'll just go every week until I'm out. More on it next time. 

Next chapter! I'm not going to give a summary, but I'll warn that it's not going to take up where this chapter left off. Yes, once again I'm going to skip forward in time. Not too much though.

Thanks for reading and the support,  
Dizi


	15. Epilogue But Not an Ending

disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

**Ordinary People  
**by Dizi

Chapter 15: An Epilogue but Not Really an Ending

"If you'll sign here, Mr. and Mrs. Gaines, young Joshua will be officially enrolled." Charles pushed the papers across his desk to rest in front of them and held out a pen.

Without hesitation, Albert signed immediately, but Janice did not. She was filled with doubts. Josh was excited now, however she couldn't let go of the idea he might feel abandoned later. He would be so far from his family. Oh Maggie would be close by, but would that make up for his parents being several hours away? By agreeing so readily, would she be sending a signal that they were happy to let him go? Would he then think they didn't love him as much as their other children because he was a mutant? She-

"For God's sake, Jan!" Albert irritably interrupted her thoughts. "Sign the papers or he'll never forgive you! And remember, Josh has a _very _good memory."

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do? He's never been away from home before," Janice fretted.

"Perhaps the paperwork can wait until the end of your visit," Charles suggest mildly, wanting to avoid an argument. "There's no rush."

"No rush he says," Albert told the ceiling, the bald spot in the middle of his dark hair peppered with grey glinted in the afternoon sunlight coming in the windows. "Beg pardon, Mr. Xavier, but you don't know my son. He is intense, driven, and always very sure of his personal decisions - much like his mother. Dr. McCoy's offer is the best chance Josh will get to realize his ambitions. He knows that. He wants it. He _asked _for this. If we leave this room without this being a done deal, it's because I climbed out the window."

His voice had been gruff with a real warning directed solely at Janice. She'd had plenty of time to voice any concerns before they had arrived and this was the wrong time for doubts to crop up. He knew his son was waiting impatiently outside to be assured his plans were on track. Albert was not exaggerating in stating he'd rather run than face Josh's disappointment.

"I'm just not convinced he's ready," Janice protested. "He's only fourteen."

"Alright." Her husband nodded agreeably, apparently doing an about face. "You explain it to him and stay the weekend as planned. I'll climb out and go to Maggie's place. You can watch him mope, I'll play video games and be back to pick you up in time to go home."

Seeing the resolute expression on his face and considering he knew their children better than she did, Janice signed the form.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Gaines," Charles reassured her, carefully keeping his expression blank so as not to show his amusement. "We don't lock-up our students here, quite the contrary. If Hank's plan is successful, within a few months of working with him Joshua will be accepted at virtually any college he may wish to attend. The idea is to prove himself to the scientific community. By the time he leaves here, he will have recommendations from two former Avengers and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. The college boards will be begging for him to choose them instead of the other way around."

Having signed with a flourish, she leaned back in the chair. "I understand the plan, and I know Josh is simply brilliant. I _am _grateful he has this opportunity, but he's my child. I'm afraid he's trying to grow up too fast."

"Cut the drama, Jan." Albert sighed. "Carter tried to grow-up too fast. Trevor is still trying, Ryan's doing fine, and Maggie clung or she'd have been gone years ago. But Josh was practically _born _mentally prepared to leave us and already an adult, he just had to wait for his body to mature. It frustrated the hell out of him." His normally fierce expression softened. "Jan, just give it up. Josh was never a child like the others. He held himself back since he was eight because he loved us and didn't want to let us go. If he hadn't... uh, mutated?"

"Manifested," Charles corrected quietly, not expecting the man to know the right term. He could see both of these people's personalities in Maggie, though she did look like Janice. It was very interesting to see the different parts of her in their original form. Albert and Janice were two people who he could sense were separately very circumspect. Together sparks flew at the least provocation. It was a testament to the strength of their love and affection, both for each other and their children, that their differences hadn't broken up their marriage long ago.

"That's it, manifested." Albert nodded his thanks. "If Josh hadn't manifested he would have left home two years ago." He took his wife's hand in a gentle grip which showed he was well aware of the physical strength clearly visible in his physique despite his age. "Don't feel guilty, baby. Josh has a good head on his shoulders. He'll let us know if he gets homesick or overwhelmed, and we'll either visit or bring him home. Just don't look for it to happen, because I doubt it will."

Seeing Janice relax and squeeze Albert's hand, Charles was impressed by the man's knowledge of his son. It was very rare to see a man so in tune with his children. Albert Gaines had obviously taken his 'care-giver' role seriously. He remembered Maggie's description of her father during the incident with Lorna - though he'd heard it second hand. Perhaps it was the military background, but he had seen the similarities to Logan in the man's gruff exterior. His sensitivity shouldn't have surprised Charles one bit and he felt a twinge that he had been.

"I'm so sorry for the display, Mr. Xavier," Janice apologized politely. "Perhaps we should start the tour you mentioned?"

"Of course," he smiled at them, grateful to be moving on. "We will have time to finish before Maggie arrives. She comes straight here to study when she gets out of class."

* * *

... Interlude... 

"So you're still with Maribeth? Isn't that a record for you, Carter?"

_"Ha-ha, Maggie. It'll be two months tomorrow, we're going to celebrate."_

"You're going to leave Ry alone with Trevor? Bad move."

_"No, it's cool. Trev's got a girlfriend now so he'll be on good behavior. Maybe. Jane's a little scary 'cause she's a lot like him."_

"A real bundle of sunshine, huh?"

_"You know it. She's one of the goth crowd and has taken to the darkside literally. Mom doesn't know what to make of her."_

"Hard to see Trevor dating a normal girl. Jane sounds right up his alley."

_"I'll keep you updated on it. Oh, a little warning for you. Dad gave Ryan the 'talk' with his usual visual aides. Mom didn't take it well. You'll probably hear about it."_

"Joy, oh joy. How did he take his first experience with porn?"

_"Lots of gagging could be heard from his room. I don't think he's interested in that sort of thing yet. If he had been, I'm pretty sure he's not now."_

"Trevor was almost as bad. Remember how he came out of his room pale and asked Dad how he could stand to do that four times?"

_"I remember Dad sputtering and walking away. You'd _think _he'd come up with a better way to tell us about sex than to hand over a hardcore porn video and then ask if we had any questions."_

"You got hardcore? Mine was just the soft stuff. Maybe he upgraded with you because of all the questions I had. You know, it's understandable he'd have trouble talking to ME about it, but you're _boys_. I'd think it would be easier with you."

_"Guess not. The little speech about making sure to use a condom hasn't changed either. I shouldn't complain, though, because, personally I like his methods just fine. Very educational and informative."_

"You were interested in girls from the day you were born. The movie just showed you what to do with them."

_"Like I said, very educational and informative. That's all I got on this end. What about you? Did you find out if Mom tried to run off Bobby?"_

"All concerned parties swear whatever was said is none of my business. If she tried she didn't succeed because we're still together. I'm on my way to our study date at the school. He's still helping me with my algebra homework. Man, I hate math in all its varied forms."

_"If we're lucky, this will be the first time you've ever passed that particular subject."_

"Probably because of the personal tutor with his special reward system. Great food is just one of my percs when it comes to Bobby."

_"Bet you've been putting your sex-ed to good use. Don't try to deny it, I know you."_

"I take the fifth, especially if Mom's around. Dad too, unless I'm mad at him. Gotta go, I can see my ride coming."

_"You are so lucky. How many people get to ride in a limo everywhere they go? And have a personal flunky to carry their books."_

"Yeah, and I only had to get attacked and dislocate my knee. I don't recommend you trying it. Mom keeps getting all freaky on Warren. She calls him regularly to make sure he's doing all he promised. When I asked to ditch the driver completely, he said he wasn't taking any chances with me until I'm cleared by the doctor. The guy gives me the creeps."

_"Another six weeks then?"_

"At least. I'll still be in a brace for a long time after that, but I'll be able to work again then."

_"Whoa! You're going back to work? Mom didn't say anything about that, just that the rich guy is paying for college and stuff."_

"I don't feel right accepting the money and not working. It'll only be part-time and definitely afternoons. Listen, I really have to go. I'll take to you later."

_"Okay. Bye!"_

... End Interlude...

* * *

"I can't thank you enough for getting me out of that damn tour. What do I care about stuff like that?" Albert sipped from his beer straight from the bottle, which he wasn't able to do unless Janice wasn't around. She took offense at things like that. "That's a real nice bike you got there. Custom made?"

"Yep, had some parts shipped from overseas. Put 'em in myself, don't trust any ole mechanic with my baby." Logan lit his second cigar, the two men studying his pride and joy. "So tell me what branch was ya in?"

"Marines." Albert puffed his own cigar, relishing it thoroughly. Janice had some kind of radar that all women seemed to have and wouldn't be happy about his smoking since she was so damn politically correct. But then, she was still doing the tour with Xavier and wasn't here, was she? "You?"

"Canadian Special Forces."

He just nodded as that was all that needed to be said. They were men and didn't need to beat it to death. Thank God he'd found someone here he could relate to in this place where he felt like everything was a suit and tie affair and he was wearing jeans. "This Bobby kid, he a good one?"

"Yeah, he's 'bout as good as it gets except fer the Boy Scout, but that 'un's already married." Logan understood completely. He'd been prepared to like Albert Gaines since Maggie had lit into Lorna and he hadn't been disappointed. Not because of the military background or because she said the two men were alike, but because Albert had raised a girl with real gumption. "You want details?"

"Nope, that's all I wanted to know. Maggie's my little girl, you know? Got my boys, but she was firstborn. Does something to men like us when we have a daughter." He grimaced. "It's worse when you're the only one taking care of her."

"Yeah, I heard 'bout how ya had ta learn to change diapers an' do up little girl's hair." Instead of smirking like some might expect, Logan gave him a look of sympathy. "It musta been hell."

"Finally, someone who gets it! Everybody seems to think it's easy being a stay at home dad. You have no idea how bad it was. Fall for a gorgeous woman and end up playing mommy. I'm not the most sociable person and I was expect to be 'room mother'. Not sure how Maggie turned out so good."

There was so much pride in Albert's voice Logan felt a twinge that he had never experienced family life. "She's turned out fine. From what I seen, she handled the robbery better than yer wife did."

"She would, my daughter's tough." His expression changed to that of a warrior born. "What I want to know is what happened to the sonuvabitch who took her down? And what was up with the store? Jan wasn't clear on the details."

"The police are still lookin' fer the robber, but it weren't all on him. Manager at Maggie's store didn't like mutants an' sure as hell didn't like one of his clerks datin' one. He sabotaged the place 'cause he was tryin' ta set her up as the fall guy onna robbery he was tryin' ta stage, but a real robber got there first. The dumbass."

"Let me guess, no evidence and he's walking around free?" Disgust dripped from him and there was a note in Albert's voice that said Dave wouldn't be walking for long.

"It was a strange thing, seems he slipped onna patch o' ice on his own front porch, got himself a concussion. Real shame it happened two days after he was fired an' lost his medical benefits." Logan puffed his cigar and stuck his thumbs in his belt loops, rocking on his heals. "Yep, real shame."

"Pitiful even." Some of the fire went out of Albert's eyes, but he shook his head. "Would be better if someone had beat the crap out of him."

"Gotta look at what kinda people they are 'round here. They don't believe in hurtin' those who ain't as powerful as they are. Figure ya know by know we're all mutants." Logan watched Albert shrug as if it wasn't important to him, which he hadn't thought it would be with the way Maggie acted. "First thing we teach is ta take care o' the weak. The jerk was weak."

"Sounds too much like turning the other cheek to me," Albert grumbled. "Never liked that part of the Bible."

"Myself, I know what ya mean but the others... well, they don't see it our way." Handing the other man his cigar for a moment, Logan put a tarp over his motorcycle. "Almost took care o' it myself but Iceboy is Maggie's boyfriend an' all, so I let him handle it his way."

Considering, Albert asked, "Concussion you said?"

"Uh-huh, ice on his porch."

"And no insurance?"

"Not a bit an' he was hospitalized fer a week."

Nodding, Albert stepped on the cigar to put it out. "Since he did suffer some and he'll be in debt for the rest of his life, I guess I can live with that."

* * *

A limo pulling up the drive of Xavier's School for the Gifted had become such a daily occurrence that the students no longer paid any attention to it. With the new school year in session, they had been very curious at first. But after two weeks, they simply ignored the shiny black luxury vehicle knowing it was Mr. Drake's girlfriend arriving.

The 'driver' assigned to Maggie was an irritation to her. Not because he wasn't kind, patient, and attentive; she actually didn't know if he had those traits or not. Wensly - not first name or last, but simply Wensly as a proper servant should be called, he had informed her - was very very formal. Maggie had thought he would have thawed out by now and become more friendly, but it hadn't happened and she had given up making overtures. Worse, he was very conscientious about doing his job and Maggie didn't like the idea of only being a job to anyone.

Being as Wensly was part of the deal between Warren and her mother, she had initially tried to make the best of it, him. His duties were basically to take her wherever she needed to go, assist her in any way possible, and carry anything and everything; taking care of her in every way. On top of that, Maggie knew he made reports to her doctor, Warren, _and _her mother.

She fully agreed she needed help, crutches alone were awkward especially in the beginning. However, Maggie did not see how preventing her from doing what she was fully able to was good for her in any way whatsoever. Which was exactly how Wensly had interpreted his job description, preventing her from doing absolutely anything.

As the original agreement called for Wensly to be with her twenty-four hours a day until she was fully healed, Maggie thought she had done very well not to throw a hissy fit. Not only was the man a complete drag, his presence would have majorly interfered with her love life. She loudly demanded a new agreement.

Her mother had fiercely objected, of course. Janice had thought twenty-four hour care was a fine idea, even better when such care was willing to give semi-hourly calls to relieve her motherly concerns. She had been very much in favor of every suggestion and concession Warren had offered once he made it clear he was more than willing to take full financial responsibility for Maggie's injuries and beyond, as long as he wasn't going to be sued over the incident. In fact, during their discussions Janice had come to like Warren so much that at one point she had commented he and Maggie would make a nice couple. Bobby and Betsy had not been amused, neither at the time nor when they had told Maggie about it.

So now Wensly's job was basically the same but he was only a constant presence during class hours and he was also 'on call' for anything she might unexpectedly need help with such as errands she couldn't do on her own. This allowed Maggie her freedom and privacy while still providing assistance. All were happy except for Janice who did not give in gracefully - actually she did not give in at all, Albert was heard shouting in the background and that was the end of it. Wensly himself did not state his feelings as such would be far too personal given his formality.

As it did every day since her college classes had begun, the limo pulled up directly in front of the school entrance. The front driver's side door opened and Wensly straightened his uniform and cap before going to the rear passenger door. With quick economical movements, the door was opened for Maggie and two bookbags were lifted out - her regular bag and a new one strictly for school books.

Maggie made her way out of the limo under her own efforts and Wensly's careful gaze. Not until she was completely on her feet and steady with the crutches did he take the bags into the building. Just inside the entrance to be specific as that was as far as Maggie felt he needed to go which she had made very clear. There were many willing to assist her from there and she wanted him gone as soon as possible, though she was polite about it.

The distance from the car to the front door wasn't large, however it took a long time to get there because Maggie had to keep stopping to return greetings and waves from students. She had made it to the first of the four steps on the porch when three teenage girls stopped to greet her. Maggie recognized them as Bobby's students but she couldn't remember their names for the life of her.

"Hi, Maggie!" A tall girl with curly blond hair and green eyes called excitedly, almost skidding to a halt.

"Love the hair, Maggie!" This from another girl slightly shorter with albino white skin and spiked black hair.

The third girl was bright yellow from head to toe. Her eyes, matching the rest of her, were trained on Maggie's hair as well. "It's very cool!"

Grinning at them, Maggie brushed said hair over her ears. "Thanks! I got it done last night by Steve, a friend of Jenny's."

"You mean Mrs. Wagner?" The albino girl's eyes went wide. "I didn't think she was cool enough to know about stuff like that. All I've ever heard about her is that she cleans a lot."

Her smile got a bit wider but Maggie didn't say that her own job took a lot of cleaning too, as any job in a place where many people came and went did. She could testify that Jenny could be a cleaning machine because she'd seen her in action at the beginning of the week. Assuming Maggie would have trouble cleaning house, she'd come to do it for her and left the place immaculate. Jenny had done a better job than the cleaning service Warren had hired for her. "Don't sweat it, I'm sure Jenny doesn't mind not being too high up on the coolness scale. See ya later, I've got me a hot guy waiting inside."

The girls giggled among themselves at her wink and the idea of Iceman being called 'hot' as Maggie went the rest of the way up the stairs.

Having stood silently to the side, Wensly held the door for Maggie and tipped his hat. "I will be available if needed. However, if I do not hear from you, I will, of course, be on time Monday morning, ma'am."

Sighing at his use of the word "ma'am" which she couldn't get him to stop saying to her, Maggie replied, "I'll be just fine, Wensly. Enjoy your weekend."

"And you as well, ma'am."

The door shut behind her as he left and Maggie looked up to find Bobby studying her. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"Yeah, there's lots of people around here on crutches that arrive in a limo," Maggie said good-naturedly, touching her hair. Along with the blue streaks at the front which had been touched up, she now had purple and pink highlights. There were so many that the blond was barely able to be seen. "Do you like it?"

"I think it's fine." When she looked at him suspiciously because of his bland tone, Bobby laughed. "I'm not lying, I just don't care about your hair. It's you I like."

"Good save," she laughed.

"Since it's Friday, how 'bout we wait on the homework for now?" He pushed the bookbags out of the way with his foot. "I've got a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Maggie's eyes lit up. "Did you make more ice-cream?"

"Nope, but I will later tonight if you want." His expression was very smug since he knew she wouldn't be able to guess. There was only one thing on Maggie's mind right after school. "Try again."

"You went to the mall and got more of that candy we both liked?" she said excitedly.

"Nuh-uh." Bobby started leading the way down the entrance hall, going slow to allow for Maggie's crutches. Though she could go pretty fast with the right incentive.

"The cook made more of that broccoli stuff with the wild rice and nuts and chicken and you saved me some? Like a whole big giant pan. Mmmmm..."

"Sorry, she said it's on the menu for next week though. I'll try to sweet-talk her into making extra." Now school was in session, a full staff was in place. The cook and Maggie had become fast friends with Maggie doting on her cooking. It wouldn't be hard to get that pan.

"Oh-oh! Chili-dogs! I know you know how much I love chili-dogs!"

"I sure do, but that's not it." He was starting to wonder if his surprise would be good enough because it wasn't food.

They were just passing the main staircase with the side hall which had the entrance to the sub-basement, when a brown and blond blur ran out, clutched Maggie around the waist causing her to drop the crutches, and twirled her around as she shrieked.

"In certain cultures I'm sure I would be considered a delicacy, but I don't think Mom and Dad would like it if you ate me." Josh was holding her in a tight hug, Maggie's feet several inches off the floor. At seven feet two inches and still growing, such a feat wasn't difficult for him. His cat shaped lime green eyes twinkled as his voice changed from academic to that of a more normal fourteen-year-old. "Besides, that's just gross. Ewwwww!"

Hanging from his neck, holding tight with all of her strength not so she wouldn't fall but because she didn't want to let go, Maggie had tears of joy in her eyes. "I'm so happy I can't believe it! What are you doing here? I thought you weren't supposed to arrive until tomorrow!"

"Well, Prof. Xavier talked to Mom, then Dr. McCoy and Bobby talked to Dad, and here we are a day early!" Carefully, Josh set her back on her feet and Bobby helped her put the crutches in place. "You should see the lab! It's so cool! I can't think of anything I might possibly need that isn't in there!"

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Bobby said dryly. "There always seems to be something new that Hank just has to have."

"Technology is always changing." Josh sounded so very serious, which was so very normal for him that Maggie couldn't stop smiling. "To stay at the top of his field, Dr. McCoy needs to have the latest and best available. Which he does and I can't wait to get started!"

Just listening to his voice, Maggie wasn't really taking in Josh's words. She had missed her family so much, being with Josh again was so overwhelming she couldn't think of anything else to say. She had been forcing herself to not get too excited about the prospect of her brother and parent's arriving because otherwise she wouldn't have been able to concentrate on anything else, like classes.

Her body, on the other hand, had a one track mind which made itself known as her stomach rumbled. The sound was echoed exactly in Josh. He was still a growing boy afterall.

"I know it's the usual time for you to eat." Bobby was surprised Maggie's hunger had waited so long. It had been a whole five minutes. "And I would normally rush right off to get you something. BUT... I reserved the rec-room if you want to play a quick game. We can get some popcorn or something to snack on while you play."

Torn, Maggie and Josh looked at each other in a way only siblings could. It wasn't always the case but both knew exactly what the other was thinking: food was a necessity but then again... "The one with the big-screen high-definition TV?"

"Well, of course." Bobby was offended she would even ask. He'd had to go to extreme lengths to get hold of the main rec-room for them.

Again Maggie and Josh exchanged glances. They didn't really have to talk about it. Food was important, true, but their favorite games on the best TV currently on the market made a higher rating.

"Race ya!" Josh shouted as he took off, having already been shown the way during his personal tour by his new mentor.

Being a considerate boyfriend, Bobby took his time getting started. Because of this, he was left alone as Maggie followed her brother as fast as she could on her crutches. Which turned out to be pretty quick now she had a reason.

* * *

"I am very impressed by the facilities you have here," Janice commented as she and Charles ended their tour. "And I understand completely not being able to view the lab area, I'm sure I wouldn't understand what I was seeing. But why the reinforced walls? You seemed to be making a point of mentioning it."

"There have been some... accidents in the past." Charles tried not to scare her by keeping his voice normal. He remembered very well the occasion where the need for special construction became a necessity. Luckily it had happened before there had been more than a handful of students, but he would never forget the carnage. "I simply wanted to assure you we have taken every precaution in that particular area."

"I see." She had understood the need for a separate ventilation system - which Charles had also made special mention of - because many times Josh's experiments had left her house filled with strange chemical smells. Janice hadn't realized the 'pursuit of science' could be so dangerous as to need reinforced walls. She found herself grateful all they had suffered at home was the need to air out the house. "When should we expect Maggie to arrive?"

"Actually, she may already be here. Their usual place to study is the small diningroom, which is our next stop. It's just down the hall here from the entertainment areas." He frowned as a couple teenage boys came tearing down the hall from the large rec-room. "No running, please! What seems to be the rush?"

"Mr. Drake's girlfriend is hungry and I promised to get her something to eat!" The first boy had stars in his eyes for Maggie. She seemed to have made an impression on him.

"She and that new kid Dr. McCoy's been waiting for are in a battle to the death on Dragon's Breath III!" Boy two was all about his favorite game. "I'm getting the others, they've just _got _to see this! Who knew some geek could rack up so many points so fast!"

"Definitely my children," Janice said under her breath. Years ago she had given up trying to get them to find a new 'hobby'.

Unintentionally hearing her thought, Charles hid a smile. That was just what he had done about Bobby and his video games. "Well, please carry on without running."

They chorused "Yes, sir!" and took off at a very fast walk until they thought they were safely out of sight.

Listening, Charles frowned again. It was too quiet. This time of day when the students were out of class, there was usually too much noise for him to be able to think straight due to all the traffic. The hall was empty and he wasn't sure if it was good or bad.

"NO RUNNING!" came a yell from Logan's distinctive voice.

Wincing as the sound echoed off the walls, Charles waited for him to stalk around a corner before asking, "What happened to Mr. Gaines? I thought he was with you."

"Al saw a bunch of them kids playin' some game an' felt the need ta show 'em how it's done." Logan's face lost its annoyance from the wayward students and was replaced with a smirk. "They was real surpised an 'old guy' knew what he was doin'. They're payin' more attention ta him then they do in class. It's really somethin'."

"And that's my husband." Janice sighed.

"Why don't we go to the parlor and have some tea?" Charles suggested mildly, vaguely wondering if there was a way to combine lessons with video games the teens would be interested in. "We can continue talking and I'll answer any further questions you may have."

"Why don't we make it brandy?" Janice surprised Charles by winking at him. "I'm considered on vacation for the next couple weeks before I start working for Frost Enterprises part-time."

* * *

Eventually, the rest of the Gaines family remembered Janice. After Maggie and Josh had stalemated a number of times - Bobby had been smart enough to stay an observer - after Albert had beat all comers to the point they didn't want to play with him anymore, and after they had all compared notes on their various victories. _Then _they went looking for Janice.

Coincidentally, it was just in time for dinner.

When they had all finished eating, Bobby got busy making ice-cream. He went with a more traditional flavor this time in the form of strawberry. The students hadn't been made aware of his ice-cream making expertise, everyone agreeing to spread the knowledge meant to share the spoils. So he only had to make enough for the resident adults and guests - Josh being considered a guest until he officially started class Monday morning and sworn to secrecy. This still left him needing to make several batches but by the time everyone had filled their bowls to the brim there wasn't any left.

As the weather was still warm enough, they had all taken the ice-cream outside and spread themselves out over the picnic table and all the lawn chairs and loungers. This meant Logan, Albert, and Janice along with Charles were in one grouping of loungers, while the rest were mainly at the picnic table. Since they all assumed Hank and Josh were discussing things they would not understand, which would be a conversation they did not care to participate in, the two were left alone in a couple chairs off to the side.

"I must say, that is a very interesting concept," Hank complimented, his attention torn between his new protégée and scraping every last drop of ice-cream from the bowl he possibly could.

"Yeah, Dad wouldn't let me try it in the basement. He said any project I could think of that might possibly lead to or require an isotope was off limits." Josh sighed mournfully at his own empty bowl and the parental limits. "But I wouldn't have had nearly enough space or all the equipment I would need."

"Highly doubtful," Hank agreed. "Under normal circumstances, my own technologically advanced haven would not contain all which would be required."

"That's okay, Dr. McCoy. I know I'll need to wait until I have access to a much larger and more prestigious laboratory." The young man's eyes widened as he realized what he had said. "Oh, sir! I didn't mean to imply your wonderful lab isn't good enough! It's wonderful! Really! The best private lab I've ever even heard of outside of Dr. Richard's!"

"Be at ease, young Joshua. I am not offended in the least as you are being quite honest to the best of your knowledge. However, you are laboring under a misconception."

"Yes, sir?"

"What you are not taking into your calculations is the benefits of my other profession. Among the X-Men are several specialized talents. Such assistance from them will be easily procured by way of only a minimal amount of pleading on both our parts and a large bribe in the form of their favored currency." Hank beamed at him. "For instance, with her telekinesis Jean can do many delicate and precise manipulations normally awkward through containment cells.

"That's amazing." Josh's voice was full of awe and his mind began running with possibilities.

"Indeed. There are other skills which can be beneficial as well. Logan can be very useful. Once he has been properly primed to offer his assistance. I must warn you, he must be challenged rather than simply enlisted and you are yet too young to be able to properly bribe him as he demands large quantities of alcoholic beverages as compensation."

"That would make it hard," Josh agreed.

"Just so. Returning to your fascinating hypothesis, the amount of liquid nitrogen necessary alone in most cases would make this particular theory next to impossible to prove. But!" Hank paused dramatically. "It is a wondrous coincidence that another of my erstwhile teammates is the one commonly known as Iceman whose abilities will readily take its place."

Comprehension dawned on the younger mutant. "Bobby!"

"Exactly." Hank smiled smugly. "And all he will require is a large quantity of Twinkies."

"Really?" Josh looked over at Bobby in speculation.

"Truly. Observe as I enlist his willing assistance with the greatest ease." Clearing his throat softly, Hank raised his voice loud enough to be heard a short distance away. "With the assistance of my very best friend in the entire world, we should be able to complete the initial processes within a couple days."

From his position by Maggie and across from Scott, Bobby rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Hank. Just make sure you time it so there's no class interruption and I don't miss out on time with my girl."

Maggie suppressed a giggle as he wiggled his brows at her.

They could actually hear the conversation at the chairs, but had been blocking it out. So she was fully able to hear Hank when he commented to Josh, "As I said, once you know their favored currency and the proper way to request it, the X-Men's abilities are at your fingertips."

"X-Men?" Maggie blinked, looking around the table with new eyes. "Like on TV? In the news? That X-Men?"

The assorted X-Men around the table looked back at her, surprised she wasn't already aware of their identities. They had assumed Bobby had told her some time ago.

For himself, Bobby tried to scoot down the bench and away from her. When upset Maggie tended to get physical. He didn't want to get too far away though, it was hard to use crutches as weapons in close quarters. "Ah... um... remember that conversation we never got around to?"

"You went on and on about me staying close to that infernal panic button and you're going off and fighting crazy people who hate mutants and powerhouses like Magneto," Maggie forced out through clenched teeth. It hadn't taken her more than a few seconds to realize the hazards. "We are soooo going to work on our communication skills. And until I think we've gotten it right, someone just might loose their chocolate sauce privileges!"

"Uh-oh, I know what that means," Josh whispered to Hank. "How much trouble did you just get him into? And will it affect his agreement to help with the experiment?"

"Not much," Hank replied just as softly. "It has become common knowledge that their more adult activities includes both chocolate sauce _and _whipped cream. The latter of which she neglected to deny him. Last week when they became irritated with each other, the duration of the episode was only a couple hours. Maggie cited her inability to hold a grudge for any significant length of time as being due to requiring his mathematical expertise as my own attempts confused her making me an unsuitable replacement tutor."

And on the opposite corner of the lawn, only Logan had heard the whole of what was said, but the others had gotten enough for Albert to whisper in Janice's ear, "Just how open did the two of you get? Sounds like mother and daughter have a lot in common."

Blushing, Janice pretended she didn't hear him.

The End

* * *

note: It doesn't really seem like an ending, does it? But that would be because _they _are not ending, only this glimpse of their relationship. Maggie and Josh might be seen in other stories as secondary characters just as Jenny and Zelig are. Not as consistently, but from time to time. 

A couple other secondary characters which you have not actually become acquainted with yet, are Sunshine and Melody. The blond girl with long curly hair and green eyes is Melody and the girl who is entirely yellow is Sunshine. Melody will be in a story titled "Lost Then Found" which I will be posting either later this week or next week - maybe both - and it is FINISHED. Sunshine will be in another story I have started but not finished yet.

I kinda lost my way during this one for a time, but always knew where it would end up. This last chapter is a little longer than I would have liked it to be but I couldn't see leaving any of it out. We all deserved an appearance by Janice and Albert and some depth in Josh. I apologize that Dave's come uppance wasn't bigger, but really what would they have realistically done to him? Not what we would WANT them to do, but what would they REALLY do? I couldn't think of anything "bad" or "mean" Bobby could do to him that would be in character, he probably feels guilty for the little he did. Sometimes the bad guys just don't get all they deserve. I'm sure in the future Dave would have tried his tricks again and spent the rest of his life in prison because he's too stupid not to get caught. Or that's how I imagine it.

Special thanks to Sara my wonderful beta. She's stayed with me longer than any other and does a great job. Also thanks to those who insisted I should show Maggie finding out about Bobby's X-Man status (there were several and not all posted actual reviews). Hope you liked it.

To close - because this is again getting to be a long note - I hope you liked the Gaines family as much as I do. They can be seen in "person" by way of a link in my bio. They make great sims.

Almost forgot! For those who don't remember Steve, he's the boyfriend of Claude Jenny's nail-artist from "Human and the Demon". He works in the same salon but in a different area. Goodness! I'm starting to have a whole bunch of OC's as secondary characters, huh? Well, they're fun so who cares?

Thanks for reading and all the support,  
Dizi


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